Dental 4 Less – What is a Periodontist
Question: I went to the dentist the other day and had no cavities, which I thought was good since I had not seen a dentist in many years prior to this point. I was told by the dentist that I do have gum disease and that I need to see a Periodontist. Why would I need to see a Periodontist? I am not sure what that is, but I am guessing it has to do with my gums. Why can not the dentist do a deep cleaning that I thought you would get when people have gum issues? I do not have dental insurance, and I know if I go to one of those Periodontist people, it will cost me way more than I can afford. Is it all that important that I go? After all, my teeth are fine, and my gums do not hurt me.
Reply: One thing you may want to keep in mind is that when you go to a dentist, the dentist is not thinking about whether or not you can afford to do what they suggest. The dentist is telling you only what they feel is the best thing for your oral health care. A dentist would not refer you to a specialist if they did not believe that would be the best thing for you.
You need to tell the dentist that you can not afford to go to a specialist right now, so you need to do the next best thing. The dentist may tell you how important it is to see a specialist. However, if it comes down to it, they know it would be better for them to do what you can afford to have done than for you to do nothing. Dentists can not read your mind. If you do not explain to them what you can and can not afford to do, then do not get upset because they are telling you something costly, and you can not afford it.