The benefits of regular dental check ups – top 5 reasons
Regular dental check ups are essential for keeping your mouth and your general health in great shape. Here’s the five main reasons why you and your dentist should stay in touch.
1. Preventative dental treatment and advice. All healthcare is time-sensitive. The sooner any problem can be identified, the easier it is to fix it. Unless you’re a dentist, you’re unlikely to notice any issues with your teeth until it becomes obvious – through tooth pain, bleeding gums, or other indicators.
Your dentist can spot early warning signs of decay, and recommend measures to remedy the problem and avoid further treatment – potentially saving you from a root canal or other intrusive measures.
A regular check up also lets your dentist ensure your brushing and flossing routines are giving you the protection you need. For older generations especially, it’s worth keeping up-to-date with the most current advice on how to brush your teeth (advice does change over time!)
2. Keeping dental costs low. When your dentist checks your oral health regularly, any problems can be identified early, and treated with lower-cost solutions. The longer you leave an oral health issue, the more complicated – and expensive – it becomes to fix.
If you pay for a private dental health care plan, it’s even easier to make sure you keep your dental costs low – all our membership plans here at Oh My Smile include a set amount of regular dental check ups as standard, at no extra charge.
3. Diagnose deeper health issues. A general health check from your GP usually includes blood tests, urine tests, and a quick physical examination. Many diseases are identified early due to these health checks.
However, a dental check up can often reveal indicators of wider health issues that would otherwise be missed. Bleeding gums can indicate diabetes. Loss of bone density around the teeth and jaws can be a early sign of osteoporosis.
If your dentist encounters any worrying symptoms, they can quickly conduct an X-ray exam to explore further, and refer you to the appropriate specialist.
4. Having your teeth cleaned professionally. Even if your dental hygiene is good, your teeth will inevitably build up plaque and tartar, which can’t be removed by brushing and flossing.
Our private dental health care plans all include a free dental hygiene appointment with every dental check up. Our dental therapist will provide a full scale and polish, reducing the likelihood of tooth decay and gum disease.
5. Reduce anxiety over dental treatment. As we’ve explained, regular dental check ups reduce the likelihood of intrusive dental treatment. Having regular, ‘light touch’ appointments with a friendly, well-trained dentist is beneficial to your personal relationship with dental care. As you accumulate a shared history of positive painless experiences, your anxieties around dental treatment are very likely to be lessened.
FAQs
How much is a dental check up?
For non-members, a private routine dental check up at Oh My Smile costs £45. However, dental check ups are completely free across all our dental health plans.
How often should you have a dental check up?
There’s no single answer to this question, other than, ‘ask your dentist’. They are likely to give you an answer based on your own oral health, age, and dental history. For some people the importance of regular dental check ups may require two or more trips a year to the dentist. Younger people in good oral health may find one dental check up every year is enough to maintain a healthy mouth.
What does a regular dental check up include?
During a private dental check up, you should expect the following;
- A full examination of your mouth, teeth, gums, cheeks, and tongue
- Your dentist should ask you general questions about your health, and any oral problems or discomfort you might have experienced since your last check up
- Advice about oral hygiene to improve your dental care routine, based on the results of the check up.
Your dentist may choose to include an X-ray, if they notice anything that requires further investigation. And many private practices (including Oh My Smile) prefer to combine a dental check up with a dental hygiene appointment, to help our patients keep their teeth in the best condition possible in between check ups.
If you’re overdue a trip to the dentist, we’d be happy to see you. Get in touch if you’d like to book a consultation, set up a membership plan, or if you have any questions at all about dental care or our practice.