Preventative Dentistry is focused on helping you maintain a healthy mouth (teeth, gums, tongue, inner cheeks) and hence you need less dental treatment and keep your teeth longer. It is our goal to help you "Love your teeth" and keep your teeth as long as possible.
During your examination (checkup) the dentist will assess:
- your medical / dental history
- your current diet and the impact on your mouth
- your oral hygiene practices (toothbrushing, flossing, mouth rinse)
- the health of your full mouth (teeth, gums, tongue, inner cheeks)
- the condition of existing fillings and restorations to ensure they aren't catching food and are still smooth
- x-rays to see between the teeth and below the gum line to ensure accurate diagnosis of dental decay, bone loss around gum diseased teeth, oral pathology and the development of adult teeth for children
- Intraoral camera photos if required to show you parts of your mouth so the dentist can explain what they can see
As a result of the findings from your examination the dentist will determine the type of cleaning / scaling method most appropriate.
During this appointment the dentist may also provide education and instruction to improve your brushing technique or use a special gel to show to children the length of time certain teeth have gone unbrushed.
