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How about dental checkups?
For a better dental care, it is important to have regular dental check-ups to keep your teeth and gums healthy, to diagnose problems at an early stage, to treat your dental problems without losing teeth, to solve cosmetic problems and to have a better social life.
How often should I go to the dentist?
Although it varies from person to person and depending on the oral situation, it will be beneficial for your oral and dental health to be examined by the dentist twice a year for control purposes, even if you do not have any problems.
In a classical dental check-up, your teeth and gums are examined, x-rays are taken if necessary, and if there is a problem, it is intervened. In addition, special recommendations are given to you according to your current oral and dental health status. If necessary, your teeth will be cleaned.
Your dentist will recommend when you should have your next check-up based on how good your oral health is.
The time between checkups can range from 3 months to 2 years, depending on how healthy your teeth and gums are and your risk of future problems.
Why do I need a dental check-up?
A dental checkup allows your dentist to see if you have any dental problems and helps keep your mouth healthy. Leaving problems untreated can make them more difficult to treat in the future, so it’s best to deal with problems early or avoid them altogether if possible. Some dental diseases that are not yet symptomatic can be diagnosed and treated in the early period.
What basic information will the dentist want on my first visit?
The dentist will want to learn about prior checkups, treatments and interventions. The aim is to diagnose problems early and to understand the oral health status. This will provide information about how often your dental check-ups should be done.
The main areas of knowledge desired by the dentist include:
Medical history/current medications
Your dentist will want to have information about the diagnosis you have received, the drugs you use, and the treatments applied. Not only oral and dental health, but all your health problems will be questioned. This questioning is not with the thought that your dentist will also solve your other health problems. Your other diseases and some of the medications you use also affect your dental health and the treatment to be applied. For example, if you have a chronic disease such as hypertension and diabetes, it will be necessary to ensure that your blood pressure and blood glucose levels are at certain levels before dental treatment. Otherwise, undesirable results such as prolongation of bleeding time may occur. Different anesthesia options, different drug treatment options before dental treatment may be required. Some medications you take can cause dry mouth, which can increase your risk of cavities. On the other hand, the drugs you use will also be effective in the selection of drugs to be prescribed during dental treatment. Drug interactions will also affect the treatment process.
Current dental health
Your dentist will also need information about your current dental health, such as the oral and dental health problems you have experienced so far, the treatments applied, and the success of the treatment. Sensitivity in teeth, frequent dental caries will affect your dentist’s approach to control. Different tests may be required for early diagnosis. Oral and dental health problems, which are common in the family, may be beneficial in terms of early diagnosis of some diseases. If your dentist has complete access to current dental health information, he or she will be able to provide you with more useful advice on preventive procedures that you can apply at home.
Dental fears
If you have a fear of applying to the dentist, treatment procedures, etc., your dentist will also want to know about it. With approaches such as different treatment options and anesthesia methods, it will both help you overcome your fear and help you determine the most appropriate and adaptable treatment option. Your dentist will inform you about new methods that will make you comfortable during oral and dental health procedures.
What procedures are performed in dental check-ups?
A classic dental visit usually includes the following oral health activities:
Team service : The dentist will usually do your dental checkups with a specialist healthcare team, and if necessary, they will get support from different areas of expertise. The hygienist, medical secretary, oral and dental health technician are part of the team. The coordination of the whole team is above the dentist.
Examination: Before any examination or procedure, your dentist will perform your oral examination. With the examination, information such as wounds, caries, recession in the gums, etc. will be obtained in the mouth.
How about a comprehensive dental exam?
In a comprehensive dental exam, the dentist not only checks for tooth decay and gum health, but also examines your entire mouth, head and neck area. The following evaluations are made in the comprehensive examination:
Head and neck: The lymph nodes and salivary glands will be investigated for any swelling or tenderness, as well as any problems in your head and neck. Also, your temporomandibular joint (jawbone joint) will be examined.
Soft tissue: The tongue, inside of the lips and cheeks, and floor and roof of the mouth are examined for any spots, lesions, cuts, swelling or growths. These may indicate an oral health problem. The back of your throat and tonsils will also be checked.
Gum tissue: Your gums and the structures that support the teeth will be examined for signs of gum disease, such as red or raised gum tissue and tissue that bleeds easily when lightly examined. If you have gum disease, he or she can refer you to a gum specialist.
Occlusion: It will be checked how well your upper and lower teeth come together. Your dentist may look at how your teeth meet or perform a more careful bite examination.
Clinical examination of the teeth: The surface of each tooth is looked for signs of dental caries. Also check for any problems with fillings, braces, bridges, dentures, crowns or other restorations.
Cleaning: Although home brushing and flossing can help remove plaque, only a professional cleaning provided by your dentist or ancillary staff can completely clean your teeth and remove hardened plaque (calculus or tartar) that has accumulated on the teeth.
Polishing: After your teeth are cleaned, they are polished to remove plaque and stains on the tooth surface.
X-Ray : If necessary, X-rays can be taken during your control. With a panoramic x-ray, all your teeth can be seen in general. If needed, a more detailed view of a single tooth may be needed with a periapical X-ray. Your dentist may not want x-rays at every checkup. How often to have x-rays will be decided based on your previous dental health history and examination findings.
Treatment recommendations: If any oral health problems are detected as a result of your dental examination and tests, your dentist will make recommendations regarding steps from it. In line with the suggested steps, you can perform your treatment, refer him to another specialist, request additional examinations, make recommendations to be applied at home and ask for an evaluation according to the result, or start drug treatment. Some dental treatments, such as fillings, can be done immediately, or you can schedule an appointment for some treatments and your treatment can be done in the next process.
Protection: Your dentist will advise you in detail and in practice what you need to apply at home according to your examination and examination results. In particular, it will give information on tooth brushing methods, the use of dental floss or an interface brush for cleaning between teeth, and general oral care. At this stage, you can get information from your dentist about the issues that come to your mind.
At the end of the control, your dentist will inform you about the next visit date according to the available findings. Your control frequency may vary depending on your oral and dental health.