What to expect the day of your first visit?
Your first visit to our office will be a warm welcome into our dental family. We strive to see our patients on time and we encourage our patients to arrive a few minutes early to get settled before their visit.
Your visit is about 60-75minutes long and we take clinical records that include radiographs and photographs. Dr. Shirley Parikh and her team will also perform a periodontal exam, tmj exam, and risk assessment. Most of our first visits will also have their teeth cleaned that day.
How to prepare for your dental appointment?
We recommend our patients eat a little something at least two hours before their dental appointment. A two-hour window allows you to still use Happy Gas (Nitrous Oxide Inhalation Sedation) plus you won’t be starving after your dental visit.
We do not recommend fasting before your appointment. Most dental appointments are about an hour and if local anesthesia was used, it will keep you numb for an additional 1-3 hours. You can usually resume a liquid diet (ex. smoothie) immediately after your appointment but most people wait to eat. We want you as comfortable as possible during any dental procedure.
What if I do not have dental insurance? We have a Bristles Wellness Plan that covers two visits a year, necessary x-rays, emergency visits, two cleanings a year and 20% off all treatment. No waiting period, no deductible.
We also offer a Bristles Periodontal Plan for patients that have diagnosed periodontal disease. This plan will cover 4 periodontal maintenance visits annually in addition to x-rays, emergency visits, and 20% off all treatment. No waiting period, no deductible.
Tips if you have difficulty getting numb: Drink plenty of water the day before your appointment and the morning of your visit. You want to be well hydrated.
Taking 4-6 regular Tums with plenty of water the day before your appointment and 4-6 regular Tums with plenty of water the morning of your appointment is a trick that works well for those who have difficulty with local anesthesia. It reduces acidity in the body and helps the anesthesia
Patients who smoke Marijuana should refrain from smoking the day before their visit and morning of their visit. It will make it hard for the dental anesthesia to take effect.
What to expect after your dental appointment?
Your mouth will be usually be numb for 1-3 hours after your appointment. Having a smoothie ready for yourself after your visit is a good way to prepare.
You do not want to have a speaking engagement or lunch/dinner plans within 3 hours of anesthesia because you may not be able to enjoy your meal.
For comfort, patients are encouraged to wear their night guard nightly after their treatment. Rinsing with warm salt water twice a day will help all of the gum tissue heal quickly. Taking 600mg of Ibuprofen/Advil will help alleviate any soreness from the injections and post operative pain.
If you have chosen IV sedation for your visit or are having wisdom teeth removed under IV sedation, you are required to fast the day of you appointment. You do not want to consume any food or liquid after midnight, the day of your appointment.
You may also contact our schedule coordinator directly at [email protected] to make your appointment.
We are conveniently located on Shepherd Drive between Memorial Drive and Washington Avenue.
We are in sandwiched between River Oaks, Memorial Park, and the Heights.
