The Importance of Regular Dental Check-ups

?I brush my teeth everyday, why should I see a dentist??

As health care professionals, we?ve heard a lot of reasons why people choose not to have regular, or routine, dental check-ups. But regardless of your reasoning, you need to understand that even if you don?t show signs of oral health problems, it doesn?t mean they don?t exist.

What happens at a regular dental check-up?

Your routine dental check-up consists of two stages ? the dental exam and the teeth cleaning. Combined, these two stages will help protect your teeth and reduce the chance of any permanent damage appearing.

The Dental Exam

During your dental exam, we?ll ask you questions about your diet and hygiene habits, and any lifestyle factors that could affect your oral health.
The dentist or hygienist will look for any signs of oral care issues such as:

• Oral Cancer
• Cavities
• Gingivitis and signs of gum disease
• Plaque and Tartar build up
• Chipped or cracked teeth
• Uneven or thinning enamel

The next thing we?ll do is take X-rays to see if there are any hidden issues that might be invisible to the naked eye including:

You?ll be happy to note that U Shine Dental uses digital x-rays which emit far less radiation (up to 90% less than traditional X-rays) which means quicker and safer visits for you.

Professional cleaning, another benefit of routine dental check-ups

Brushing and flossing is only good enough to remove surface plaque that has formed recently, but plaque that isn?t removed completely will harden and turn into tartar. Once tartar has formed on your teeth, it requires professional help to remove it. This involves a process called scaling, a type of dental cleaning that goes below the gum line to remove the hardened plaque.

After your teeth are scaled, we?ll use a tooth polisher to give your teeth a smooth and shiny finish. You?ll be offered a choice of flavours for the paste which is used for to remove surface stains on your teeth.

The final step is flossing your teeth to ensure the areas between your teeth are also clean.

Your teeth are clean, now what?

After your teeth have been cleaned, you get to experience that fresh feeling ? you know? that sensation you get as your tongue glides across what feels like brand new teeth.

So how can you maintain that healthy smile? Ask questions! The team at U Shine Dental have extensive professional knowledge and we?re happy to provide you with tips and information so you can keep on smiling. However, one check-up a year may not be enough. The final step of the routine dental checkup is scheduling your next appointment within the time-frame advised by your healthcare provider.

No matter how busy you are, do yourself a favour and find the time to keep your appointments. It is the best way to maintain overall health.