Dental Check Ups

Dental checks ups are an integral part of achieving your overall dental health. We recommend visiting your dentist at least every 6 months for your check ups, so we can ensure your mouth, teeth and gums are healthy.

We are big advocates of preventative dentistry and we like to educate our patients in the benefits of visiting your dentist regularly, to save your natural teeth for as long as possible, and also save you money in the long run. At a check up we will:

• Examine your teeth for any signs of damage/wear (cavities, signs of plaque, bruxism)
• Check your gums for signs of gum disease and other abnormalities
• Oral cancer screening
• Give advice on your diet and lifestyle to help keep your natural teeth for as long as possible

Oral Cancer Screening

As you are aware, oral cancer is a very serious disease and can manifest due to multiple reasons. Like any cancer, early detection is key for a higher recovery rate (if left undiagnosed, it can become life threatening).

Our dentists are highly trained to spot the early signs of oral cancer and to make the necessary referrals in a quick and timely manner. With the guidelines of attending your dentist every 6 months for your regular dental check ups, we are in a very good position to catch any changes that may be occurring in your mouth, and if we are worried there is a chance of oral cancer, we will again make the necessary referrals to secondary care.

What Is Preventative Dentistry

Preventative dentistry is the art of practicing a healthy oral hygiene routine, and understand how lifestyle choices can affect the health of our teeth. By doing so you will less likely suffer with cavities, build up of plaque, enamel wear, and you will be able to keep your natural teeth for as long as possible. Over time our teeth will come into contact with a number of different bacteria’s and our teeth will naturally start to deteriorate and wear from the everyday stresses of life. Unfortunately this is a natural process, but at which rate this happens we are in complete control.

We like to work with our patients so they can protect their natural teeth for as long as possible and that is why the dental check up is an integral part of achieving dental health.

As a rule of thumb, when you start to experience dental pain, this is often the last sign that something has occurred in your mouth and will need a form of treatment. The early warning signs can be picked up by regular visits to the dentist and it will also reduce your dental bill as the further progressed a pain is, the more treatment that may be required.

All About Cavities, Plaque and Tartar

Preventative dentistry as explained above, is all about looking after your teeth to stop problems developing in their tracks. A lot of dental issues can start with plaque and tartar, which eventually turns into the dreaded caries (cavities).

Plaque in essence is a mass build-up of bacteria that forms on the surfaces of our teeth. The best way to combat this at home is by brushing, flossing and using mouth wash. In certain areas of our mouth, they can be more difficult to reach or clean (especially if you don’t use dental floss), and when plaque is left to build up it eventually turns into a hard substance known as tartar.

This is when it becomes a bit more tricky to remove at home as tartar cannot be removed with conventional brushing. You will need to see a dentist or a dental hygienist who will use professional dental tools to remove the tartar. Attending your 6 monthly check ups and routine hygiene appointments will help you to keep this under control as we will be tackling the tough deposits of plaque/tartar (on top of your daily morning/evening oral hygiene routines).

Now, the main reasons why plaque and tartar is such a big issue, is because they can cause gum irritation (leading to gum disease) and cause cavities in your teeth. Cavities are very common to see in patients, and this is more so true with the younger generation of patients coming through our doors. A lot of this can be attributed to a higher intake of sugary drinks, sweets and just generally more foods/drinks containing a higher level of sugar in them. Sugar is like a food for bacteria that produces acids which erodes and dissolve the outer surface of the tooth enamel.

Cavities are very problematic for your overall dental health. They are holes in your teeth that bacteria can enter, which causes further complications and irritations. If left untreated, you may require a root canal to clean the bacteria and infected nerve of the tooth out, or in the worst case scenario that we cannot save the tooth, perform an extraction.

As a rule of thumb, dental problems that are left untreated will get progressively worse and will require more treatment in the long run to achieve dental health. We are proud to give our patients high quality care and we strive to keep your natural teeth for as long as possible. If you are worried about your dental health and would like some advice, please do not hesitate to book in for your dental assessment today.

NHS Patients

We are accepting new NHS patients and will be happy to see you at our next available appointment. Please call us today to book in for your appointment.

Dental Plans & Pay As You Go

We also offer the option for patients to be seen on a private basis. We have both pay as you go and dental plans. With pay as you go, its a simple case of paying for every appointment you have. We use Denplan for our dental plans which gives you a discount on your yearly dental treatment and a whole host of other benefits. Please call us to find out the wide range of benefits you will be entitled to.