Oral Health Check-Up

It is important to maintain good oral health, which means looking after your mouth not just your teeth. A comprehensive oral health check is a major component of your first dental appointment with us. This comprises a detailed oral examination which may include taking x-rays and the drawing up of a treatment plan should treatment be necessary.

What will the examination involve?

Your dentist will examine your mouth and teeth in order to:

• Check the alignment of your jaw joints;
• Check how your teeth meet together and function as you chew (known as your “bite” or occlusion);
• Identify any problems which could arise from a poor occlusion, such as broken or worn teeth, or headaches;
• Check for signs that you may be clenching or grinding your teeth (bruxing);
• Carry out a visual check of your tongue, cheeks and other soft tissues, looking in particular for signs of oral cancer (oral cancer is very rare but we always take the opportunity to check for early signs)
• Assess the health of your gums, looking for signs of underlying gum (periodontal) disease;
• Look for dental decay (caries) and faults in fillings or other restorations such as crowns, bridges or veneers;
• Look for signs of erosion from fizzy drinks or excessive tooth brushing;
• Look for damage from tooth grinding;
• Look for tooth sensitivity;
• Look for dry mouth (xerostomia).