When it comes to keeping our teeth in check, most of us look for the dentist located closest to our homes. In many ways, this makes total sense; if you have a dentist just five minutes from your house, why would you head double that distance to see someone else? Unless, of course, your local dentist simply isn’t serving your dentistry needs.
As with any profession, dentistry is an incredibly varied field, and it’s entirely possible that your local dentist isn’t a good fit for you. Failing to make vital checkups is a sure sign that this is the case, as is a feeling of dread whenever you feel a dental niggle and know you’ll need to make that call.
But there are also some more solid signals that you and your teeth would benefit more from going elsewhere, and we’re going to consider them here.
Sign 1: It’s Personal
Sometimes, you may simply fail to gel with your dentist on a personal level. Perhaps they have an abrupt manner that puts you on edge. Or maybe they’re too chatty and your appointments always run too long.
In either instance, these issues could leave you reluctant to book an appointment, and that’s a real problem. While you might feel bad about breaking up with your dentist based on personality alone, remember that these things happen all the time. Your dentist probably won’t think anything of it, and cutting ties leaves you free to find a better-suited dentist whom you connect with on that personal level.
Sign 2: Lacking Treatment Options
Lacking treatment options could also be the nail in the coffin of your dentist relationship. After all, you’re visiting your dentist to keep your teeth in top order; if they don’t deliver then there’s really no benefit to continuing.
But we know what you’re thinking – don’t all dentists do roughly the same thing? Not necessarily. For instance, many dentists might not offer more cosmetic treatments, like straightening or whitening. Equally, some dentists now offer mercury free fillings as opposed to traditional, but potentially damaging, amalgam fillings. If your dentist doesn’t offer the services you need, then you probably won’t book an appointment. And, that’s a sure sign it’s time to go elsewhere.
Sign 3: Ongoing Setbacks
In an ideal world, you would head to the dentist for a treatment and all would be A-okay, but this isn’t always the case. If you’re visiting a dentist who’s new to the job, or not very highly-rated, even small fillings could result in the need for more major works like root canals or tooth extraction.
Admittedly, this can happen to the best dentists, who have no way of knowing the extent of dental decay until they start work. But, if every treatment you undergo with your dentist results in something worse, you might want to get on the phone to someone else ASAP.
Finding a dentist is a little like dating – you need to find the right match so that you can keep going back without any worries. Looking out for these warning signs could help you do that.
