Regular dental examinations are the foundation for your dental care. These routine appointments allow us to keep an eye on your oral health and spot any problems early. During your appointment, we will examine and assess your teeth, gums and mouth.
You may not need to see us every six months and your dentist will let you know when you need to come back for your next check-up. If you have any problems between check-ups, please phone us to arrange an earlier appointment.
What happens during a dental examination?
Every routine check-up involves a thorough assessment of your teeth, gums, jaw, and mouth. We also include oral cancer screening, checking your soft tissues for any abnormalities.
We will ask if you’ve had any problems since your last visit so you can raise any concerns you might have. To help you keep your teeth in tip-top condition at home, we will advise the best cleaning techniques and share tips on diet, alcohol and tobacco consumption.
If we find anything that requires treatment, we will devise a treatment plan that includes the best course of action and provide expected costs.
Looking after your oral health at home
In addition to seeing dental professionals regularly, there are some steps you can take to ensure the continued health of your teeth and gums:
Brush teeth effectively
- Floss and/or use interdental brushes before brushing
- Brush twice a day for 2 minutes (before breakfast and just before bed), ideally with an electric rechargeable toothbrush (which oscillates and rotates) using a toothpaste containing fluoride. Ensure you spit the toothpaste out and DO NOT rinse with water or mouthwash after.
- Mouthwash is a good product to use in the middle of the day at times other than brushing (mid-morning or late afternoon)
Give up smoking
It can cause a lack of oxygen in the bloodstream, which inhibits healing, accelerating bone resorption six times quicker than it occurs naturally. This can therefore increase your risk of developing gum disease. Smoking significantly increases your risks of oral cancer and can also cause an increased amount of plaque and tartar, as well as staining teeth.
Avoid too many sugary snacks and drinks
- Limit sugary snacks to once or twice a week
- Do not snack on anything throughout the day
- If you are going to eat sweets, chocolates or even fruits, eat the whole portion during meal times and drink water after.
- If you are going to drink fizzy drinks, drink through a wide bore straw at meal times and drink water afterwards.
- Flavoured water and fruit juices are acidic and can cause tooth wear.
Start oral education early
Encourage children to start looking after their teeth as early as possible.
Denture Hygiene
If you have dentures, it’s important to keep them clean so they last longer. Dentures should be removed after every meal and cleaned with cold water and a soft brush. This should be repeated at night time followed by soaking them in a denture cleaning solution, like ‘Sterident’ for 10 MINUTES ONLY. They should then be washed and left to soak in water overnight as they could lose their shape if allowed to dry out.
It is also important to brush your remaining teeth (if applicable), gums and use mouthwash twice a day to prevent any infections. You will also need to attend regular check-ups so your dentist and hygienist can keep an eye on your oral health.
