June 14, 2008
What Your Dentist Should Do, #6: A Thorough Exam & Consultation
Your dentist should have a candid discussion with you about the level of treatment you may need to get your gum disease and the level of bacteria in your system under control.
DentistryForDiabeticsSM dentists offer a complete dental physical for people who have diabetes. It’s not something that every patient needs, but it can be a wonderful way for your dentist to work with you to gather all the information needed to give you a complete, comprehensive diagnosis of your oral health issues and provide you with a set of solutions that make sense for you.
If your dentist suggests a complete dental physical designed for people with diabetes you’ll know you’ve found a practitioner who’s concerned about your physical and emotional health and the effect diabetes has on you. Some of the things your dentist may include are:
· A clinical exam
· Special blood tests
· Multiple individual teeth x-rays, to give a complete look at the teeth and the area between them.
· A panorex x-ray to evaluate supporting bone structure in which the teeth roots rest, along with the sinus area
· Molds of your teeth to show the relationship of the jaw to the skull, tooth position and interferences to the chewing mechanism
· Registration of your bite mechanism
· Jaw joints evaluation
· Oral cancer screening
· Decay evaluation
· Tests for clinching and grinding habits
· Periodontal disease analysis
· A smile design analysis
· Tooth color, size, shape, and contours evaluation
· Evaluation of dental problems contributing to general overall body health
This may or may not be a necessary part of your dental evaluation. It really depends on the extent of your periodontal problems. But if you dentist suggests it, you’ll want to consider it.
Is there a secret enemy fighting your efforts to manage your diabetes? For more diabetes information, get your free five-lesson mini-course on diabetes and your teeth at DentistryForDiabetics.com.
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