6 signs you need a new dentist

Your dentist's top priority should be making sure that you're in peak dental health, not peaking on the dental sales quota. They should listen to your concerns and ensure that you have a positive dental experience. You shouldn't be paying for subpar service when you have the choice to leave your current dentist and get a better one. Read more about How to Choose best dentist?

Below are the warning signs that tell its time to find a new dentist.

1. Your Dentist Doesn't Ask Your Full Medical History

The first thing dentists do to assess the dental problems of their patients is to ask for their full medical history. They need to know what is going on with their patients by knowing how healthy they are first. Moreover, certain conditions affect the way the teeth will react to the treatment, so it is crucial for the dentist to know what's going on with your body. Examples of conditions that could affect dental treatment are:

The bacteria from the mouth can affect someone who suffers from heart disease.
People with diabetes can have longer healing time; making root canals a problematic procedure.
People with bleeding gums or arthritis will find it hard to keep a clean mouth.

2. They Use Old Technology

Old technology like film x-rays still work, but there's a reason most dentists use digital x-rays nowadays. Digital x-rays are more accurate as they could diagnose cavities that aren't usually detected by traditional old-fashioned x-rays. Moreover, digital x-rays emit less radiation that film. Using old and outdated technology means that the dentist doesn't care much about giving their patients excellent results.

3. Sanitation is Next to None

A dentist that digs through drawers tap a keyboard or adjust a light then poke inside your mouth without changing a fresh pair of gloves clearly indicates that they don't care about germs. Do check the sterility of the tools. The tools should be sealed in bags, heat-sterilized until they are ready for use. If you see the dentist's tools exposed on the table, stay away from that dentist.

4. No Wall of Fame

If the dentist has done a phenomenal job at their work, they put that in the walls of their dental office. There are before and after transformation pictures of their clients. When you request for a cosmetic dental procedure you're considering, the dentist should be able to provide the samples of their work. You'll want to find out if the dentist has completed the dental job successfully. Avoid those that don't show their work.

5. They Recommend Getting Rid of the Silver Fillings

Dentists today do not use traditional amalgam fillings anymore. The silvers fillings consist of a compound of liquid mercury, silver, and tin. Based on the recent FDA findings, amalgam fillings are not dangerous. If the dentist advises you to get it removed because it is toxic, go find another dentist. In fact, these fillings need to be switched out only if it starts to destroy and shrink from the surface of the tooth as this creates an opening for the bacteria. You should ask the dentist what his or her methods are in removing the silver fillings. Removing it by drilling it out could release mercury vapors that are more dangerous compared to leaving the fillings alone in the first place. Force removal of the fillings could potentially take out bits of your tooth causing the tooth to develop cracks.

6. They Recommend Extensive Work

If you've been going to that dentist for quite some time and the dentist recommends a bunch of things that weren't addressed during your previous visits, then your dentist might have missed something. It may also indicate that they are overzealous in their desire to find work. You should also avoid dentists who recommend services simply because they are covered by insurance.

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