May 15, 2018

When you go to the dentist for a check-up and clean, your dentist will assess your teeth, gums and overall health of your mouth.

At Coastal Dental Care, we recommend 6 monthly check-ups to stay on top of your dental health. Regular check-ups also help to detect diseases, abnormalities and early signs of decay.

In general, a check-up and clean will include:

• Check-up
  To assess the overall health of your mouth and determine if any further work is needed
• Clean
  Cleaning of the teeth including a scale and polish to help remove stains, built-up plaque and tartar.
• X-ray
  As standard practice, we usually take decay-view X-rays to check in between the teeth. Depending on your case and whether your dentist already has one on file, they may want to take another x-ray of your mouth. This is so they can get a better look of your teeth, jaw alignment, view decay between teeth and to monitor your teeth over time.
• Fluoride
  To strengthen the enamel of your teeth, fluoride may be applied to teeth to protect them against tooth decay.

How much does a dental check-up cost?

All of our Coastal Dental Care practices offer $200 Check-up and cleans for all new and existing patients without health cover.

 

How long does a dental check-up and clean take?

Depending on what treatment you need, a dental check-up and clean can take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour.

For instances where you have no dental concerns and your teeth are in perfect shape, your dentist will just perform the clean, apply fluoride and you can be on your way within a few minutes.

In general, most routine patients will only need cleaning, scaling, polish and fluoride which can take around 20-30 minutes and then approximately every 2 years decay-view X-rays are updated.

Does the dentist need to know my medical history?

If you have not been to the dentist before or you are visiting a new dentist, they need to be aware of your medical history. If you have a history of gum disease, for example, your dentist may diagnose and provide different treatment options for your case. We require this to be updated approximately every 2 years.

It is also good practice to keep your dentist updated with any medication you are taking as some prescriptions can cause dry mouth. Dry mouth can facilitate the creation of cavities as bacteria (which eats away at enamel) is not regularly washed away by saliva.

At home dental care

After your check-up and clean your dentist may provide recommendations to improve your oral health care. Some suggestions might be brushing techniques, flossing, diet and nutrition, or smoking.

If you follow your dentists at home hygiene suggestions, you may reduce your chances of developing dental problems and you may maintain your natural teeth for longer.

Next steps / when is my next treatment?

Depending on the visit, your dentist might need you to come in for another appointment. This might be due to the need for a more complex treatment like fillings, crowns or bridges.

Alternatively, your dentist may also refer you onto a specialist if you need specialised treatment like Oral Surgery, Orthodontics (braces, Invisalign), Endodontics (treatment of the nerves and tissues inside tooth), or Periodontists (treatment of gums).

If no further treatment is required, your next visit to the dentist will be in six months to see how your oral health is coming along.

Book in for your check-up and clean online today or find a local practice near you.