Want to hear it directly from Dr. Jilbert?
We asked him to name three things dentists don’t do that they often see patients doing, and he broke it down in our latest Instagram Reel.
Watch the full video on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DdZ7rXdPJsd/
Dentists spend their days looking at teeth, treating dental problems, and seeing what happens when certain habits catch up with us.
So we asked Dr. Jilbert from Clove Dental a different kind of question:
What are three things dentists don’t do that they see patients doing?
His answers were simple:
Some of these may sound harmless, especially if your teeth feel fine right now. Here is why your dentist sees them differently.
One of the easiest dental appointments to postpone is the one you do not feel like you need.
No toothache. No swelling. Nothing feels loose. So why go?
The problem is that pain is not always the first sign of a dental issue.
Cavities, gum problems, worn dental work, and other changes can develop before you notice anything yourself. Regular dental visits give your dentist a chance to examine your teeth and gums and watch for changes over time.
That is why Dr. Jilbert would not recommend waiting until something hurts before seeing your dentist.
Think of a dental checkup as maintenance rather than an emergency visit.
Your dentist can also determine how often you actually need to come in. There is no single schedule that works for everyone. Your oral health, previous dental work, gum health, cavity risk, and other factors can affect how frequently you should be seen.
Keep up with the dental checkup schedule recommended for you, even when your mouth feels completely normal.
And if it has been a while since your last visit, you do not need to wait for a problem to make an appointment.
Wanting whiter teeth is common. The problem starts when whitening turns into something you keep doing because the result never feels white enough.
Whitening strips, gels, trays, whitening toothpastes, and other at-home products are widely available. When appropriate products are used according to their directions, at-home whitening can be an option for many people.
More whitening, however, does not automatically mean better results.
Whitening products commonly contain peroxide-based ingredients. Using whitening products too frequently, leaving them on longer than directed, using concentrations that are inappropriate for you, or combining different whitening methods can increase the chance of tooth sensitivity and gum irritation.
If your teeth start becoming increasingly sensitive while whitening, that is not a sign that you need to push through and keep going.
There is another issue people sometimes overlook: not every type of discoloration responds to whitening in the same way.
Crowns, veneers, and tooth-colored restorations do not whiten like natural teeth. Some stains also respond differently depending on what caused the discoloration.
That means repeatedly whitening at home may not solve the reason a tooth still looks darker.
Follow the instructions that come with your whitening product and avoid exceeding the recommended frequency or application time.
If you are whitening frequently, experiencing sensitivity, or are not getting the result you expected, ask your dentist before continuing.
Your dentist can look at the type of staining you have and help determine which whitening approach makes sense for your teeth.
Sometimes the answer is not stronger whitening. It is figuring out what is causing the discoloration first.