What to expect at your check up
Each dentist at the practice follows ‘best practice’ guidelines for carrying out your examination.
These guidelines are based on current recommendations from the National Institute of Clinical Excellence, the Faculty of General Dental Practice and the General Dental Council.
We view each patient as an individual and not just a mouth. As a new patient you will be asked to complete a Personal Dental Assessment prior to seeing the dentist.
This gives your dentist important information about your medical history, previous dental experience and any particular areas you would like to address during your consultation. Please be assured that all information is treated as confidential and will only be made available to other relevant professionals within the practice (dental nurses, hygienist etc) with your permission.
At each check up we assess:
- Medical history
- Previous dental history
- Extra oral – face, neck, jaw joint, lips
- Intra oral – palate, cheeks, tongue, floor of mouth
- Teeth
- Gums
- Oral hygiene
- Any specific problem you report
We will make a provisional diagnosis and carry out any necessary radiographs (X-rays). If you require any remedial treatment to relieve pain, this will be carried out during this appointment.
Your dentist will discuss with you any relevant findings and provide advice on appropriate treatment options.
Please click here if you would like to arrange an appointment to have a check up.
Why should you have the soft parts of your mouth checked?
A dentist examines more than your teeth when you go for a check-up.
The dentist can easily check for non-healing mouth ulcers, red or white patches which are often painless and you may not have noticed. These could be an early indication of a more serious mouth condition. If changes in you mouth are checked out early, a more serious condition can be prevented or treated early.
Smoking, using tobacco in other forms e.g. chewing /paan and drinking large amounts of alcohol can affect the soft tissues in your mouth.
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