Few people are likely to look forward to a visit to the dentist. However, with the right preparation, the appointment can be less scary. It can be particularly helpful for anxious patients to think about the upcoming dentist visit a few days in advance. In this article, you will find out which documents you need to bring with you, how long you are not allowed to eat beforehand, and what else you should pay attention to.
What documents should I take to the dentist?
The dentist has most of the information about your dental health stored in his files, so all you need are the following documents:
- Your health insurance card must not be missing from any doctor's visit. It contains your personal data and is required for billing with the statutory health insurance company. Those with private insurance must also show their ID card.
- If you go to the dentist every year, you will receive higher subsidies from your health insurance company for treatments such as dentures. This is what the bonus booklet is for. You should therefore bring it with you to every visit to the dentist.
These documents are required when changing dentists
If you have made an appointment with a new dentist, you should bring a few more documents with you. The dentist does not have your file or any other information about your medical history. The following documents will help the new dentist with further treatment:
- If you would like to get a second opinion or a cost comparison, you should bring the existing treatment and cost plan or cost estimate with you. In Australia, every patient can choose their doctor freely. Therefore, you can obtain various offers and ultimately decide for yourself where you want to be treated.
- Bring any x-rays or intraoral scans you have had in the last 6 months. This will help your Warrnambool dentist get an accurate picture of your dental health and will also prevent you from having to have x-rays again. If you have an x-ray card, you should bring this as well.
The dentist will usually have a preliminary consultation with you first or ask you to fill out a questionnaire. You should inform him about all your allergies, medications and previous illnesses.
This is important for the dentist appointment
Make sure you arrive on time for your appointment. If you arrive late to the dentist, you may have to wait a long time or even make a new appointment. This would be very annoying, especially if you have spent days preparing for the appointment.
In addition, brushing your teeth is an essential part of every visit to the dentist. If you don't have time to do this at home or if you're coming straight from work, just take your toothbrush with you and brush your teeth there. In dental practices, it's perfectly normal for patients to brush their teeth in the bathroom first. Plan to do this a few minutes before your appointment.
How long before the dentist should I not smoke?
Are you a smoker? Then you should avoid smoking for a few hours before your dental treatment. The longer you can manage not to smoke, the better. Before a normal dental treatment, 6 hours without a cigarette is recommended, and before dental surgery, 24 hours. Otherwise, your body will be busy fighting the toxins from the cigarette. This can mean that a local anesthetic does not work as well. This means that you may feel pain during the treatment despite anesthesia.
How long should I not smoke after going to the dentist?
If you have had your teeth professionally cleaned, you should wait at least 1.5 hours after the treatment before smoking again. Immediately after cleaning, your teeth will no longer have their natural protective layer. This makes them more sensitive than usual and can easily discolor.
However, you can start smoking again straight away after a tooth filling. These are immediately hardened. This means that cigarette smoke has no direct influence on the durability of the new tooth filling.
After surgery, smoking can delay wound healing and promote inflammation. Therefore, after dental surgery, you should reduce smoking as much as possible.
After treatment, it is best to ask your dentist directly what you should do.
How long before the dentist should I not eat?
It is even recommended that you eat something before going to the dentist (and brush your teeth afterwards), because you don't know if you can do it straight after the visit. You may be given an anesthetic for a minor procedure. Then your tongue, lips and cheeks may be numb for a few hours after the procedure. If you eat something then there is a risk that you could injure yourself while chewing without realizing it. So you should not eat again until the anesthetic has worn off.
Before visiting the dentist, you should avoid coffee. This is because caffeine, like cigarettes, can reduce the effect of anesthetics. Caffeine also increases blood pressure. This can increase the likelihood of complications during procedures.
How long should I not eat after the dentist?
After a professional teeth cleaning, you should not eat anything for at least 1.5 hours. The teeth are then very rough and have not yet rebuilt their natural protective layer. This means that they are particularly susceptible to discoloration from food. In addition, the gums have been irritated by the teeth cleaning and are therefore particularly sensitive. Give your gums a short recovery time.
After a tooth filling, you can eat something straight away. The fillings are already hard immediately after they are put in. Even an apple cannot harm the filling. However, if you have been given an anesthetic, you should wait until it wears off.