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Dental Tips
Norge Dental Center
• 
Apr 10, 2015

Your Excuses for Avoiding the Dentist Are Dangerous

Any reason you have for not visiting the dentist is certainly valid and respectable. However, there may be some things you aren’t aware of that could help you see the importance of your oral health in a new light. Read on to find out why many of the most common excuses for avoiding the dentist are misguided, and even dangerous.

No Dental Insurance or Just Too Expensive

Many people avoid the dentist because they think it’s too expensive, either because they don’t have dental insurance, or they don’t feel they can afford dental care even with insurance.  At Norge Dental Center, we understand this concern. That’s why we offer patients our own Dental Benefits Plan. Regardless of your age, employment, or dental needs, you and your family are eligible to join the Norge Dental Center In-Office Savings Plan. Here’s why it’s so helpful:

  • No Yearly Maximums
  • No Deductible
  • No Claim Forms
  • No Pre-Authorization Requirements
  • No Pre-Existing Condition Limitations
  • No Waiting Periods

To learn more about our plan, click here to download the brochure. When you are avoiding the dentist due to fear of the cost, it’s important to understand that the longer you wait to receive dental care, the worse and thus more expensive your problems will become. Even if you don’t have any problems currently, preventative care is much less expensive than emergency care or treatments for serious dental problems that could have been caught and treated more easily through routine checkups. The bottom line here is that avoiding the dentist due to fear of the cost will probably end up costing you more in the long run.

Fear of the Dentist

A trip to the dentist is not usually on anyone’s list of fun things to do. However, some people get more stressed about the dentist than others. It’s a well-recognized fear that many Americans experience, and can lead to panic attacks and serious episodes of uncontrollable stress. It can also lead to serious oral health problems, heart disease and stroke when it causes people to avoid the dentist altogether. Heart disease and stroke have been linked to gum disease, which is prevalent in people who avoid the dentist. However, if you suffer from dental anxiety or phobia, you do have options. Norge Dental Center offers conscious sedation, Conscious sedation allows you to enter a state of relaxation while staying awake during the procedure. Although you won't feel any pain, you'll be able to respond to your dentist's questions and commands. Feel free to contact us with any questions you may have about conscious sedation and how it can help you.Additionally, we go the extra mile to ensure you are comfortable throughout your visit, whether you are here for a routine checkup or a dental procedure. We are also great listeners and won’t rush through anything. We’ll talk with you and ensure you fully understand everything before beginning. Plus, there are no guilt trips at Norge Dental Center, no matter how long it’s been since you last saw a dentist or how much work you may need. We’re focused on your present and future and just happy we can help you get and stay healthy moving forward.

Nothing Hurts Right Now

If you aren’t in pain right now, that’s terrific! But, it doesn’t mean there’s not something wrong, especially if you haven’t seen a dentist in a while. For example, if you catch a cavity before it starts hurting, it probably means the cavity didn’t get deep enough to begin affecting the nerve. The shallower a cavity is, the less time and anesthetic it usually requires to fill. Additionally, it’s usually less expensive to fix. The old adage is still true: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Baby Teeth Will Just Fall Out, So No Need to Worry About Them

This is a dangerous misconception. Ensuring your children’s baby teeth remain healthy is the first step to ensuring their adult teeth are healthy. Neglecting baby teeth today could end up costing your child a lot of pain and you a lot of money in the future. Additionally, practicing good oral hygiene from a young age creates healthy habits that last into adulthood. Still need some convincing? Here are some common complications that occur when baby teeth are neglected:

  • When adult teeth begin to come in, they are guided by the roots of the baby teeth. If there are no roots present due to tooth decay and loss, the adult teeth are likely to come in crooked. This may cause children to become self-conscious about their smile, and lead to future orthodontic issues.
  • Children who do not see the dentist during childhood often practice poor oral hygiene in adult life.
  • Children who suffer from pain due to neglected oral hygiene have a hard time concentrating and may experience trouble learning in school.
  • Baby teeth are important in a child’s speech development. Children who lose their baby teeth early due to tooth decay may develop speech problems.

To ensure you set your child up for a lifetime of oral health success, the American Association of Pediatric Dentistry recommends that children see a dentist as soon as their first tooth appears. After that initial check-up, your trusted dentist can advise you on how often your child should have checkups based on their oral health. However, a check-up every six months is usually the recommended routine.

I’m Too Busy

We all lead busy lives, and sometimes life gets more chaotic than others. But it’s important to make your oral healthcare and the oral healthcare of your family a priority. Maintaining routine checkups for everyone will help prevent serious and potentially painful and costly and problems from developing in the future. Plus, if a pre-planned appointment hardly fits into your schedule, imagine how inconvenient a dental emergency that absolutely can’t wait will be.Are you nervous about visiting a dentist because you haven’t seen one in a long time? Don’t worry. Norge Dental Center is a guilt trip-free zone with a highly experienced staff of oral health experts and dentists in Williamsburg, VA. Give us a call to request a consultation. Knowing the state of your teeth and learning what can be done to resolve any issues you might have will help put your mind at ease. We’ll help you decide the best path to take for your personal needs, and we’ll explain how we’ll make your experience as comfortable as possible.

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