It is important to maintain routine dental check-ups as it is actually a proactive way to prevent dental issues. Your oral health will be thoroughly examined during the check-up and the dentist will perform different procedures to assess the condition of your gums and teeth.

There will be a thorough oral hygiene examination in a regular dental check-up

And here your cheeks, tongue, roof and floor of the mouth and the inside of your lips will be assessed for any swellings, discolouration or growths. These signs indicate an underlying health issue that can affect your oral health. The dentist will look for signs of decay in your teeth along with signs of wear or cracks. This is called charting your teeth and they will examine each tooth individually to check its structural integrity.

If the dentist identifies any issues, they will document it so that any changes in the next visit can be measured relative to this. And this allows for regular monitoring of your oral health. Even if you go to a different dentist, this information can be particularly helpful as a baseline for your oral health can be created from this examination.

In addition to teeth, gums are also examined in regular dental check-ups. Periodontal probing is where the condition of gingival tissues will be assessed for any infections, inflammation or recession. The dentist will measure the depth of pockets around your teeth using a periodontal probe. This is a valuable tool in helping them diagnose any gum related issues such as gum disease. It is very important to detect gum disease early on so that any complications from this can be prevented.

For example, by detecting signs of gum disease early, the dentist can prevent loss of teeth which can create further problems for you needing more procedures. It is not possible to see the underlying structures in the oral cavity during a routine examination. And if the dentist wants to have a more detailed view of teeth to identify the depth of an issue, they will get an X-ray. Some of the issues that can be identified through an X-ray are impacted teeth, cavities and bone loss. This type of X-ray can be selected based on your requirements.

There are some situations

Where photographs of your teeth will be taken by the dentist to create a visual record of your dental health. This is a great way to track changes in your oral condition over a period of time. And this way, the dentist is able to explain certain issues to patients clearly. In a dental check-up, scaling will be done where tartar deposits, plaque and biofilm will be removed above and below the gum line. Even if you were to have a strict brushing and flossing schedule, there will be certain areas in the mouth that will be hard to clean and in these areas, harmful substances can build up.

Scaling allows the dentist to remove these deposits. Your teeth will be polished after scaling and some dentists will also carry out a professional fluoride application particularly if you are at a higher risk for developing cavities. They will also give you preventative advice to have better control of your oral health.