How To Track Your Family's Dental Work: Records, Appointments, Checkups And Cleanings

To keep family members' dental care in good standing, start a file for each person that indicates the date for all examinations, tests (such as x-rays), and procedures. Use the common manila or pocket files that are inexpensive to buy and easy to maintain. At a glance, everyone will be able to see the status of their dental health. Here are a few tips:

1. Identify each file as a dental record. Avoid lumping them in with other medical data unless you prefer keeping all kinds of health information in one file. If you do, however, you will likely have to spend some time looking for dental details as you sort through a variety of forms, receipts, and test results. Make a separate file for each family member. Store them with other records in a safe place, such as a file cabinet or safe deposit box. Tell family members where to find their dental records if they should need them.

2. Keep a fact sheet or summary on hand for quick reference. That way if you're not sure whether someone is due for a dental checkup, you can look at the summary sheet to find out when the last appointment was made or which procedures were completed. Put it in the front of the dental records or in a separate place by itself. This will probably look like an outline, list, or chronology of basic dental visits and dates.

3. Include dates and possible receipts for all procedures, including teeth cleaning and sealants, gum treatments, diagnostic x-rays, and other procedures. Then if you are advised to have additional procedures performed, you can check your file for quick reference to see if you agree that it's time for more tests. If you are concerned about x-ray radiation, for example, you may wish to wait a few months more or forego x-rays this year altogether to reduce the amount of exposure.

4. Don't forget recommendations and medicine prescriptions. If your dentist suggests that someone be evaluated for orthodontic work in two years, make a note for your file. Or if someone had a reaction to an antibiotic following a tooth extraction, that information should be noted. Additional notes, details, problems, or procedures should be reflected in the file. Then, if you ever change dentists, you will have a pretty good set of records to update the new person of each person's dental status.

Take good care of your teeth so they will outlive you. Those who have lost their teeth and use dentures complain that food doesn't taste as good and the replacements sometimes don't fit well. Detailed records can help to ensure that each person receives the best possible dental care.