As the summer ends, it’s
important to make sure kids are ready to return to school with a clean bill of
health, including their routine dental cleaning and examination. Once school
begins, the classes, work, dorm-life, commuting and other school distractions
make it hard to stay on track with their needed dental exams and cleanings.
A growing trend is the tendency
to put off dental care needs or ignore them completely. Reasoning ranges from
scheduling conflicts to the perception that oral health is an unnecessary
expense. The truth of the matter is that most of the procrastination comes from
fear of the dental chair and fear of the dental bill. Unpleasant memories perpetuated their parent’s
perspective about going to the dentist as young children seem to be universally
common. Years of socialization appear to
be passed on from one generation to next only to be reinforced by ads and
programs mimicking old adages such as ‘it’s like have a tooth pulled or as bad
as a root canal’. This has been compounded
by the recession coupled with the rising cost and lack of healthcare.
The assumption is that the
patient is saving money by extending the time between regular visits or by not
going at all. Not only is this
assumption is wrong, but it costs patients their health as well as more money. Patients who see their dentist on a regular
basis save money in adjunctive health treatment. New research by United Concordia shows that
patients who visit their dentist on a regular basis not only improve their overall
global health but by extension save in reduced medical costs as well.
According to a survey by the
American Association of Endodontists, 70% of respondents say they want to avoid
getting a root canal, and 60% were more anxious about root canal treatment than
getting a tooth pulled (57%), or receiving a dental implant (54%). But while perceptions remain the same
procedures don’t. With today's advanced
technologies, root canals are no more painful than getting a filling--root canal
treatment is actually one of the best ways to save your natural tooth. While we do partner with endodontists, our
in-house endodontics by Dr. Nanci Lubell appears to help patients feel less
anxious while delivering immediate and familiar quality of care.
Dentists not only improve your
smile and maintain your oral health, they improve your overall lives. So if you’re thinking about putting off that
dental appointment because it can wait, think again.
If we can be of assistance or can
answer any of your questions or concerns please feel free to contact us.
Novy Scheinfeld, DDS, PC
290 Carpenter Drive, 200A
Atlanta (Sandy Springs), GA 30328
404-256-3620
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