10 Facts About Dentistry and Dentists
Interesting Facts About Dentists and Dentistry
General Dentists practice dentistry.
Dentistry is defined by the American Dental Association “as the evaluation, diagnosis, prevention and/or treatment (nonsurgical, surgical or related procedures) of diseases, disorders and/or conditions of the oral cavity, maxillofacial area and/or the adjacent and associated structures and their impact on the human body”.
DDS versus DMD
DDS means Doctor of Dental Surgery, DMD means Doctor of Dental Medicine. These degrees are the same; they have the same education. Each individual College can decide what their degree is called consequently, there is no difference in the degrees.
Dentists work on the hardest substance in the human body.
Did you know tooth enamel is the hardest substance in the human body! Wow! Everyday your dentist is wrangling with this hard substance trying to keep it clean and healthy. Kudos to your dentist for being a superpower!
Does your dentist know who the first dentist was? Quiz her or him!
The first guy brave enough to fix teeth was an Egyptian named Hesi Re. He lived over 5000 years ago! Hats off to this progressive guy! He definitely was a man before his time! Who knew that the work he was doing 5000 years ago would some day be so important to your overall health.
Dental Implants are better today.
Oh my, your dentist would agree that dental implants today have got it over those of the past…think shells hammered into your gums! Psst…shells look so much like teeth and I bet that wasn’t pain free! Today, dental implants are one of the most predictable and dependable dental restorations.
Amalgam fillings are passé.
Unless you are still doing dentistry based on what a pencil pusher says (think $ here and some insurance companies), amalgam fillings are so yesterday. In this century, your dentist can should be putting in beautiful tooth colored restorations. Mercury-laden fillings are a thing of the past. Find a new dentist if your dentist is still using amalgam!
Dentists and dentistry are respected.
In a 2012 Gallup poll dentists ranked 5th out of 22 in honesty and ethical standards. Only nurses, pharmacists, medical doctors and engineers (what?) scored higher than dentists. Dentists are trusted everyday my millions of Americans to take excellent care of their pearly whites.
Can you guess how long the average adult spends brushing their teeth during their lifetime?
I’ll give you a hint…it isn’t years! Give up? Okay 38.5 days…now doesn’t that seem like a drop in the bucket. Maybe we should all try to brush for 2 minutes, twice a day!
Has your dentist talked about “periodontal disease”?
I wouldn’t be surprised because over 3 million cases are diagnosed a year! Why? Because of poor oral health…just like bad sentence structure…it runs rampant among the people over the age of 19. Please save yourself from this nasty, expensive disease called periodontal disease! Make sure your brush twice a day and floss at least once a day. Visit your dentist twice a year for check ups and to make sure your home oral care is up to speed.
Is your dentist a people person?
Does he or she enjoy their chosen field? Are they passionate about your oral health? Are your office visits pain free? Does the dental team treat you like family? That’s great…chances are you have a fantastic general dentist and dental team. Stick with them. They’ll take excellent care of you. If not…well take a look around, read some reviews, drop into an office or two. You don’t need an appointment to go inside an office and get a feel for the culture. Life is too short to not enjoy your dental visits!
This article compliments of Comprehensive Dental Care in Henderson, NV. You can call our office at (702) 919-6206.
