ProActive or ReActive?

As a seasoned dental professional, I have seen many patients with a wide spectrum of dental conditions come to my office for treatment. I can tell you, firsthand, that small dental problems, those that are caught early, are treated most successfully with minimum pain and discomfort (including financial pain).

Now, realistically, most people that seek treatment by me have discovered a problem, whether it is a broken or chipped tooth, bleeding gums, or pain that doesn’t go away. Generally, these issues result in a more painful and expensive experience at the dentist. They have waited and ReActed to something that they realize is wrong. And as a veteran dental professional, I continually ask myself why, and the best answer I have is ‘fear’; fear of the cost, fear of pain, and fear of the unknown.

ProActive Dentistry is simply a better way to embrace our oral health. Regular checkups provide a multitude of benefits. First, your teeth are professionally cleaned to remove tartar(calculus) and plaque, which are the primary cause of dental problems. Your mouth is cleaner and healthier after this experience.

Secondly, regular visits enable the dental professional to detect problems early, thus enabling us to provide efficient and long- lasting results. (Small problems…simple solutions, big problems…extensive and costly solutions).

Lastly, and maybe most importantly, regular visits allow us to examine and detect potential oral cancers. Oral cancers have an excellent prognosis when caught and treated at an early stage. Full blown oral cancers lead to radical and disfiguring treatment.

So, again, I ask myself, why be ReActive when being ProActive? Being ProActive leads to better results, better quality of life, and generally less pain and cost.

Do yourself right, whether it be dentistry, medicine or other areas of your life. Your quality of life is enhanced when you embrace the things that need to be done for successful outcomes, and getting regular dental checkups is one key to a lifetime of oral health.

Remember, small dental problems, small pain and cost. Be ProActive!