Is It Time to See the Dentist? Take This Quiz "*" indicates required fields 1. When was the last time you visited the dentist for a teeth cleaning?* Within the past few months. It’s been a year or two. I can’t remember. It’s been a long time! 2. Does your jaw hurt when you wake up in the morning?* My jaw feels fine in the morning! I never have problems with jaw pain. Occasionally. My jaw doesn’t always hurt, but it does feel sore on some mornings. My jaw hurts just about every morning and affects my quality of life. I wish there was a solution. 3. When you smile for pictures, do you like to show your teeth?* Yes! People tell me I have a toothy grin. Sometimes. I don’t constantly think about my smile, but there are times when I don’t like how it looks in pictures. Definitely not. To be honest, I hate smiling for pictures. 4. Have you ever thought about whitening your teeth?* No, I’m happy with how my teeth look right now. Maybe. I have some staining or discoloration, but I’m hesitant about whitening my teeth. Absolutely. I’d start tomorrow if I could. 5. How often do your teeth hurt?* I can’t think of a recent time. Sometimes. I occasionally get spontaneous tooth pain or a tooth will feel sore after eating or brushing. My teeth seem to hurt constantly, to the point where I avoid certain hard-to-chew foods. 6. Everyone gets bad breath sometimes. Do you feel like you get it more than usual?* No. I hardly ever think about my breath. Sometimes. If I’m going to be around people, I always want some mints or gum before I enter the room. I’ve had family or friends tell me that I have bad breath. I feel self-conscious about this and don’t know what causes it. 7. How often does food get stuck in your teeth?* I don’t really notice this. It rarely happens. It depends on the food, but I usually want to look in a mirror after I eat something. Most days. People often tell me that I have something stuck in my teeth. 8. Does your partner or family members complain that you snore?* If I snore, they don’t say anything! I never get complaints about this. I wouldn’t say they complain about it, but I know that I snore sometimes. I’ve had people tell me that they can’t sleep because I’m snoring so loudly. 9. How sensitive are your teeth to hot or cold?* Doesn’t matter what I eat—my teeth don’t feel sensitive to hot, cold, or sweets. Hold, cold, or sugary drinks sometimes bother my teeth. I often experience sharp or mild pain when drinking or eating something cold, hot, or sweet. 10. Is it common for your gums to bleed when you floss?* I floss at least 3-4 times per week, and my gums hardly ever bleed. Yes. This is why I don’t floss more often—it hurts! I can’t answer this because I almost never floss.
