Dentists perform too many tooth extractions for this day and age, and the need for root canals is another worry.  When will people learn that they are told by their parents, their dentists, doctors, even their teachers at school to take care of their teeth for good reason?

I am happy to see that the market has shifted more and more in favour of cosmetic treatments because although repair and prevention of problems are a vital part of the dentist’s role, as a populace we should surely by now be capable of educating our own citizens about the importance of maintaining their teeth and gums.  If anyone hasn’t got the message yet that they need to at the very least brush their teeth, with toothpaste, twice a day then I don’t know how they have achieved that.

It wouldn’t even be so bad if people just went to the dentist earlier, rather than waiting until an extraction is necessary.  If you have a problem with your teeth or gums you need to see a dentist about it soon, not wait until it develops into a worse condition.  A filling is a lot less uncomfortable and costly than having a tooth removed when you consider that the gap needs to be then filled with a bridge or implanted denture in order to avoid further damage to the jaw and neighbouring teeth.