You have your dentist appointment scheduled and are ready to visit the clinic soon. That’s exactly when you need to ask yourself, whether or not you have checked everything? Here is the checklist that can make your visit hassle-free and productive. Read on!
Sort out your professional and personal schedules beforehand
Dental appointments are often stressful owing to the time they take as well as the uncanny way in which they seem to crash with other scheduled appointments. The best way to make your visit to the dentist hassle-free is to plan your visit at least a week or two before the actual date. This allows you plenty of time to plan other important schedules around the appointment. You can set a reminder in the form of a mobile alert or a calendar notification about the appointment a day before the visit. Doing so, will help you arrange everything relating to work, home, kids, etc. in advance.
Step up your oral hygiene
No one, not even a dentist likes peering into a smelly mouth. So, make it a point to check your oral hygiene before visiting the dentist. Start brushing your teeth more diligently in the morning and at night and floss regularly. This will save you from the embarrassment at the clinic.
Do proper research on the dental procedure
Going for a root canal treatment or opting for composite tooth bonding? Do a quick research on the dental procedure you will be opting for, as the knowledge you gain can be helpful when discussing the procedure with your dentist. Talk to those who had such treatments earlier. Research can also help you understand what to expect during the procedure, thus allowing you to relax when visiting the dentist.
Confirm the appointment a day before the visit
Usually, dentists are busy with treatments or procedures involving other patients. It is wise to call the dentist’s office a day before your visit and confirm the appointment. This allows you to know whether there have been any last-minute changes in the schedule, thus saving your time and effort put in reaching the office only to find out that the dentist is not in the clinic.
Make a checklist of existing medical conditions
Your dentist will need to know about any medical conditions you may have had previously or facing currently. Conditions like diabetes and hypertension need to be shared with the dentist, as he/she will consider them when planning your dental treatment. Take this seriously, as many things are linked to each other when it comes to diseases. Make a list of any allergies that you may have prior to your visit so that you do not forget any of these issues when discussing the procedure with your dentist.
Plan your finances
It is imperative that you plan your finances before visiting the dentist. If your dental treatment is covered by your dental health plan, contact your healthcare insurance provider and arrange for the costs to be covered by your health plan. If your insurance plan does not cover the treatment, find out alternate ways to pay for the same. Have the money ready in your hand or your bank account before stepping into your dentist’s office to avoid payment related hassles later on.
It is wise to have a checklist ready when visiting a dentist. It will ensure that you have the visit planned out to perfection, thus allowing you to relax and avoid stress before, during, and after your treatment.
Oral hygiene practices like brushing and flossing are incredibly essential. Not caring for the teeth can cause them to decay and even fall off in extreme cases. Consequently, missing teeth can make chewing food complicated and cause extreme discomfort. To manage the problem, dentists affix dental implants in the jawbone that replace the lost teeth. Here is a quick guide on how implants work and their popular types and benefits.
How do dental implants work?
A dental implant effectively works both as a root and a tooth. The three components of a dental implant are:
Types of dental implants
The following are a few popular types of dental implants one may come across:
The best implant for a person will depend on their oral health and how much stress their bone structure can support at the time of the diagnosis. So, it is vital to do a detailed analysis and diagnosis before committing to a dental procedure.
Benefits of dental implants
There are several benefits to getting dental implants. Here are a few of them to explore:
Individuals suffering from missing teeth should speak to a dentist about the best treatment plan for them. The dentist can recommend a suitable type of dental implant to make chewing easier and lessen discomfort. The expert can also suggest tips to maintain the implant and prevent tooth problems in the future. However, it is important to note that dental implants are not the only solution to lost teeth. In some cases, the dentist may recommend using removable dentures or other alternatives.
Chronic migraine is a condition where the affected person experiences at least 15 headache days a month. It is observed that at least 8 out of these 15 days are migraine headaches with severe symptoms, and this pattern of discomfort remains consistent for 3 months. Initially, it may not be a frequently occurring episode, however, with time, the episodes may get regular with chronic headaches. If left untreated, this condition can affect a person’s life.
Causes
Several factors determine the onset of this kind of migraine. One of them includes a steady increase in the frequency of episodic headaches. Over-the-counter treatment options that are used to treat frequent headaches stop affecting over time, leading to side effects that develop into chronic headaches. Some other factors that can put an individual at a high risk of developing this condition include mood disorders like anxiety or depression, snoring, excessive caffeine intake, ongoing disturbed sleep patterns, and a history of stressful life events causing emotional or physical trauma. An unhealthy lifestyle leading to an increase in the body mass index (BMI) can also be a causal factor.
Symptoms
There is no difference between symptoms of chronic migraines and episodic migraines. However, the only thing to notice is the increased frequency of episodic headaches in a month. Some typical symptoms of this illness can be observed for timely diagnosis and treatment.
Transitioning symptoms (episodic to chronic migraines)
Diagnosis
A health professional will take a look at the affected person’s health history. If needed, the doctor may ask questions that help understand the migraine patterns. The questions include how and when the migraines begin, how long they last, are there any notable physical factors or triggers that worsen the condition, and where the location of the pain is.
The professional may also ask for a detailed history of other health conditions like anxiety, depression, lifestyle choices that may trigger these headaches, any treatment options used, and possible side effects that could be factored into the diagnosis. Based on the results, appropriate treatment methods will be advised and implemented.
Treatment options
Most of the treatment methods focus on managing the symptoms, the migraine attacks, and reducing the episodes and pain.
One of the treatment therapies includes focusing on lifestyle changes.
Some other treatment options for managing migraine attacks include:
Other techniques include:
Also, maintain a headache diary and note down the possible triggers and the number of migraine attacks in a month. If there’s a notable increase in the attacks, consult a doctor at the earliest. Knowing the triggers can help the doctor chalk out an effective treatment plan.
Preventive treatments and methods
Apart from treatment options that help manage the symptoms, there are preventive treatment methods that reduce the episodes of these headaches to a certain extent. These include using beta blockers and other therapies. One such treatment method also includes using an Allergan product named BOTOX®, which doctors recommend for those 18 years and older. The intravenous treatment method is administered around the neck or the head, where the migraine pain usually affects the person. This ten-minute procedure is not painful and can prevent headaches for three months. The procedure takes place in a doctor’s clinic under close supervision.
Chronic migraine can be painful and disrupt everyday life activities, so choosing the right treatment plan is crucial. Get all the information from a licensed health professional and seek the best possible treatment plan according to a detailed diagnosis.