Dental Health Check

Your dental health is closely linked to your general health and poor dental health and oral hygiene can lead to more serious health problems.

Good dental health and oral hygiene can help prevent:

• dental problems from arising
• loss of teeth
• more general health issues arising that can be associated with poor oral hygiene e.g. cardiovascular problems

Your dental health check involves a screening for Oral Cancer and is key to picking up oral cancers early.

‘The incidence of oral cancer is rising in Europe and approximately 300 people are diagnosed with mouth cancer in Atlanta annually’ ( Independent Sept 2015)

Your dental health is our priority.

What are we checking for at your Dental Health Check?

When you come for your dental health check, we are examining your teeth, gums and ‘soft tissue’ (e.g. around your tongue, inside your cheeks, the roof of your mouth).

We are conducting a thorough assessment to ensure you are in good dental health and if not, to identify and discuss with you what needs to be done to rectify that and to get you ‘dental healthy’.

We are also looking at the overall appearance of your teeth so that we can inform you of the latest dental treatment options that might be suitable to you to improve the overall look and feel of your mouth should you wish to do so.

What does a Dental Health Check involve?

At your dental health check we will conduct a comprehensive assessment of your teeth and gums, an oral cancer screening and if necessary we will take an OPG (a full mouth X-ray) to facilitate our diagnosis.

We will discuss this assessment with you in detail and address any questions or queries you may have.

If you require any treatment or if you wish to improve anything from a cosmetic perspective, all options will be discussed with you during your visit and a recommended comprehensive treatment plan with a schedule and costs will be provided to you.

If you would like to have a dental clean with your dental health check we can arrange this and book both your Dental Health Check and Clean in for the same visit.

What are we looking for when we examine your teeth?

When we are examining your teeth we are looking for any active or potential decay in the teeth. Decay or a cavity can often start as a small white spot area on the tooth and if untreated can lead to a hole in the tooth.

At the white spot stage the tooth can be monitored and treated with fluoride solutions to try re-mineralise the surface, preventing it from turning into a ‘hole’.

However if these areas are left unchecked they may progress into a ‘hole’ and may require a filling but the sooner we catch it the better.

We are also looking out for broken teeth or broken fillings and tooth grinding that may require treatment

What are we looking for when we examine your gums?

Healthy gums are pale pink; they do not bleed on brushing and are usually not sore during dental cleanings.

When we are examining your gums we are looking for any areas that you may be missing with your tooth brush or floss, any areas of redness or inflammation and tartar build up.

Tartar causes gum disease called periodontitis. This is a progressive gum disease that causes the bone supporting the tooth to be lost and can result in teeth becoming loose or being lost.

Untreated gum disease has been linked to cardiovascular problems.

What are we looking for when we examine your soft tissue?

When we say soft tissue we are referring to your tongue, floor of mouth, roof of mouth and the overall mouth area.

When we examine your soft tissue we are looking out for any unusual lumps or bumps in the mouth and lips, and for unusual white patches, ulcers that do not heal, warts and oral cancers.

A lot of white patches and ulcers can be caused by local trauma, however it is important that this is assessed and established as the cause. Patients are often unaware of these little patches and they are only picked up during a dental examination.

New Patient

If you are a new client your visit will include:

1. A Dental Health Check and Oral Cancer Screening
2. Diagnostic imaging and X-rays
3. A Free Cosmetic Consultation
4. A Comprehensive Treatment Plan and Schedule