What it is
The dentist checks every tooth, the gums, your bite and the soft parts of the mouth, and tells you what they see as they go. If it has been more than two years, or something looks wrong, we take small X-rays of the back teeth. Then Katerina, our hygienist, cleans off the hard deposits above and just below the gum line and polishes.
You leave with a short written note: what is fine, what to watch, and whether anything needs doing. If nothing needs doing, we say so.
Who it is for
Everyone, about once a year. Twice a year if you have gum problems, a lot of fillings, or you smoke.
Does it hurt? Honestly
The check itself does not hurt. The clean can be sensitive where gums are inflamed or teeth are sensitive to cold. Tell us, and we switch to a gentler scaler or numb the area with a gel.
Whatever we are doing, raise your left hand and we stop. How we work with nervous patients
Afterwards
- Your gums may feel tender for a day if they bled.
- You can eat and drink straight away.
- If a tooth was sensitive during the clean, a sensitive toothpaste for two weeks usually helps.
