Getting your dental health checked

Taking care of your teeth and mouth on a daily basis is the most important thing when it comes to maintaining your oral health, but don’t forget regular dental check-ups are also very important. What “regularly” means is different for all people, some need to go for maintenance every three months and for others an assessment every 18 months is sufficient. Going to your dentist or dental hygienist regularly will help ensure a preventive approach to your oral health care. Dental health problems are seen early, and treatment is likely to be simpler and more affordable. Also, some diseases or medical conditions have symptoms that can appear in the mouth.

So, what does your dentist or dental hygienist do at an assessment and what can you expect as a patient? The first thing we do is an anamnesis, a medical history. It’s important to know how the patient is doing, if she or he has any diseases or is taking any medication. Ideally, what follows are questions about your perceived oral health and how your homecare is working for you. At the clinical assessment we check your bite, your oral mucosa (i.e. tongue, the floor of the mouth, the inside of your cheeks and the palate), the status of your gums and teeth and if there are any cavities. When we check the health of your gums, we probe around each tooth to measure the pocket depth and presence of bleeding. It is not supposed to bleed, as bleeding is the most important signal that your gums are not doing well.

At your next appointment if you find yourself thinking about what’s actually going on in your mouth – ask! You can have a mirror to look in and we are more than happy to tell you about what we’re doing.

TePe Odontology Team via Lina Kanters