Personal Financial Tips

Article by Evan Langsted

General dentistry, unlike cosmetic dentistry and neuromuscular dentistry, involves the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of conditions and diseases of the mouth including the teeth, gums and maxillofacial region (jaw and face). While cosmetic dentistry focuses on the aesthetic aspects of your smile, and neuromuscular dentistry focuses on the problems associated with a misaligned jaw, general dentistry is all about maintaining healthy teeth and gums.

General dentistry’s purpose is to prevent dental disease and decay by having regular cleanings and checkups performed; it is recommended that adults go to their general dentist every six months to ensure proper oral hygiene and functionality. By going to the dentist regularly, any dental problems can be detected in the early stages, which, in turn, will minimize the treatment process. The earlier problems are found, the easier they are to treat. By ignoring dental problems, you only allow them to get worse; this will result in much more time-consuming (and expensive) dental treatment later. Finding an experienced general dentist that you feel comfortable with and trust is crucial to good dental health.

The American Dental Association (ADA) is the oldest and largest dental association in the world. It was founded in 1859 and promotes oral health care. The ADA is based in Chicago, Illinois and currently has over 150,000 members. When you go to your dentist, you should ask him/her if he is a member of the ADA.

General Dentistry Education

You may be wondering what it takes to become a general dentist. After graduating with a B.A. or B.S. from an undergraduate program, prospective dentists must attend four or more years of schooling at a dental school that is accredited. At the time of this writing, there are just under 60 dental schools in the United States. Dental schools will give either a DDS (Doctor of Dental Surgery) or a DMD (Doctor of Dental Medicine) degree; these two are the same title for the same education.

After finishing dental school, prospective dentists must then pass a two-art written exam and a written and practical state or regional board exam. Upon passing these exams, a dentist is licensed to practice general dentistry. Dentists are licensed on a state-by-state basis, meaning if you were licensed in Colorado, you can only practice dentistry in Colorado. Most dentists go right into practice following licensing. Some choose to further their training by attending post-graduate schools such as The Las Vegas Institute of Advanced Dental Studies (LVI).

Some of the procedures general dentists perform:

* X-rays* Cleanings* Oral Cancer screening

Periodontal Disease

Maintaining healthy gums is just as important as maintaining healthy teeth. Gum disease is actually the most common cause of tooth loss. Many people with gum disease do not even know they have it. There are several signs of gum disease including:

* Red gums* Swollen gums* Loose teeth* Bleeding gums* Bad breath* Gaps between teeth

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