There are two important components in dental care: first, a good home oral hygiene routine, which should include brushing your teeth at least twice a day and daily use of dental floss; and second, a professional oral hygiene together with a dental check-up, which includes dental examinations and routine cleaning at least once every six months.
What happens during your check-up appointment?
During the appointment, doctors will perform a comprehensive examination.
What is it about?
Dental X-rays: For first-time patients, complete dental X-rays are taken so that doctors can have a more detailed view of your teeth. During subsequent appointments, as needed, you will be able to perform a series of other examinations such as photos, x-rays, panoramic views so to evaluate any changes to the teeth.
Visual evaluation: A visual evaluation is performed with dental instruments. This part of the exam includes checking your teeth for signs of cavities, looking for signs of gum recession and periodontal pockets, and evaluating the amount of plaque that has accumulated in problem areas such as the back teeth and along the gumline. Furthermore, the state of the joints and muscles related to chewing and consequently the correctness of posture and occlusion will be assessed.
Oral cancer screening: Doctors will also perform an oral cancer screening to check for red or white spots, lumps, or areas of tenderness in the soft tissues of the mouth.
The follow-up visit should be performed every 6 months.
What is the check-up visit for?
to check your good maintenance of the treatments carried out.
to reiterate the situations that must be kept under control and discuss them together.
to promptly detect any new pathological situations.
therefore, to do a True prevention.
How is professional teeth cleaning performed?
During dental hygiene, the hygienist will use specific tools to remove plaque and tartar from all visible surfaces of the teeth. For most patients, hardened plaque, called tartar, builds up on the back teeth, between the teeth, and along the gumline. During your hygiene, doctors will continuously ask you to rinse your mouth to remove all debris.
Once all signs of plaque and tartar have been removed from the teeth, doctors will use a polishing tool and a cleaning paste to smoothen and polish the surfaces of your teeth. Finally, they will floss all of your teeth to further remove any debris.
After professional dental cleaning, your mouth will be fresher, cleaner and your teeth will be smoother. And because of the removal of the accumulated tartar, tooth decay or gum disease is less likely to develop. By continuing oral hygiene at home, you will also be able to maintain a fresher breath and cleaner teeth until your next dentist appointment.