When you decide to see your dentist because of cavities, you should expect the following:

If it is your first time in the clinic, the dentist will ask you some questions about your medical and dental history

He may ask:

        • Are you suffering from any diseases?
        • Are you taking any medications?

      • Have you had a surgery before?
      • Have you donated blood within the last six months?
      • Have you visited a dentist for dental prophylaxis (cleaning) before? And when was the last time?
      • Are you allergic to any medications?

He may also ask if you have any parafunctional habits like clenching or lip-biting.

He will check your TMJ (temporo-mandibular joint) for any abnormalities.

You may also expect him to ask you about your type of diet, and if you have any special dietary habits.

He will ask about your oral hygiene, how many times you use a toothbrush, and whether you are regularly flossing your teeth or not.

All of the above information is regarding the first dental visit. Make sure you have a list of all your medications, and tell your dentist if you are suffering from a particular disease even if he doesn’t ask, because some dental antibiotics have drug interactions, and may be contra-indicated in some cases.

If you are a regular patient and the dentist already has a file about you, this will not be necessary after the first appointment, unless anything changes.

Whether you are a regular patient or not, when you see your dentist about dental cavities, he may ask you the following:

      • What is the type of your pain? Is it sharp, lancinating, or dull pain?
      • How would you rate your pain on a 0-10 scale?
      • Is it continuous, or triggered by some stimuli?   
      • Do extremes in food temperature, or sweet foods, cause you pain?
      • Does biting down hard make your pain worse?

He may take an X -ray film of your teeth to see the extent of the cavity, and whether it has reached the pulp or not.

After clinically examining the cavity, and seeing the X-ray film, the dentist will discuss the problem with you, and the possible lines of treatment. He will tell you about the types of filling materials available, the cost and the advantages and disadvantages of each one of them. He may recommend a specific filling material for your condition. He will also tell you how many appointments you will need.

If you need any medical consultation, he will refer you to your physician first, and postpone the procedure. If not, he will start the procedure immediately. He will give you local anesthesia and wait till it works before starting drilling. You need to tell him if you still feel pain by a sign such as a raised hand.

Finally, either he will place the final restoration, or place a temporary filling and give you another appointment.

There is a piece of advice I want to give you: don’t hesitate or feel shy to speak to your dentist about your fears. A good dentist will be able to understand and handle them.

Contact a dentist or dental hygienist at Water Brook Dental in Washington DC for a dental check-up and other dental needs. Water Brook Dental has two locations in Washington DC. The Columbia Heights location is very  conveniently located to Downtown DC, Northeast DC, Adams Morgan, Dupont Circle, Logan Circle, U-Street Corridor, Mount Pleasant and many other parts of Washington. The Eastern Ave NW location is conveniently located to Downtown Silver Spring, Takoma Park MD, Silver Spring MD, Colesville, and other parts of Maryland as well as Northern Virginia and other parts of Virginia.