If you visit your local dentist every 6 months for your cleaning, that’s great! This lets the dentist spot any dental problems during their early stages, while they’re still easy to fix.

Still, your dentist can’t read your mind. There are some problems they won’t know about unless you bring them up. Also, there might be some oral health information that they assume you know when you really don’t.

For these reasons, there are certain issues you should definitely ask about the next time you see your dentist. We’ve listed five of the most important questions to ask below. Read on to learn more.

1. What Steps Can I Take to Improve My Oral Health?

Most of us learn proper oral hygiene as early as kindergarten. So this may seem too obvious a question to ask.

In reality, though, there’s a lot more to oral hygiene than brushing and flossing. Besides that, every patient is unique and has their own unique dental care needs.

Furthermore, your dentist may have already given you specific oral care instructions that you later forgot about. If you ask about this information, he/she can remind you.

2. What Can I Do About Teeth Sensitivity/Pain?

Pain/sensitivity are issues that don’t necessarily show up on an X-ray. Your dentist might have no idea that you’re having these problems if you don’t bring them up. In fact, a lot of patients purposely avoid saying anything about oral discomfort because they don’t want to be a burden.

The funny thing is, though, that the dentist can cure most cases of teeth sensitivity in 30 seconds by applying a desensitizer to the teeth. All you have to do is ask.

As for tooth pain, it could be an indication of a problem that has gone undetected by your dentist. If you ask about it, the dentist can address the issue.

3. Why Is My Jaw Clicking?

This is another issue your dentist needs to address but mightn’t know about unless you ask. A clicking jaw could indicate bite misalignment or lots of other issues. Ask your dentist about it so he/she can look into it.

4. Should I Consider Teeth Whitening?

Do you know about teeth whitening? Is it a good idea for everyone? Is it bad in any way?

How, specifically, can teeth whitening help you? Well, ask and find out.

5. What Other Procedures Should I Consider?

This question deals with the entire point of this list. Specifically, there might be solutions to problems you/your dentist didn’t even know you had.

You might find that there’s a way to repair your cracked tooth, fix your speech issues, or heal your jaw pain. But you won’t unless you ask.

Ask These Questions the Next Time You Visit Your Local Dentist

Don’t keep your dentist or yourself in the dark about these issues. Save this list and ask your local dentist these questions during your next visit.

Need some more tips? Then check out this guide on why it’s important to find family care dental services nearby.