Regular visits to your general dentist are pivotal to ensuring your mouth, teeth and gums remain healthy. However, it’s estimated over a quarter of adults in the UK only visit their dentist when a problem arises. Why do so many people put off visiting their dentist? It’s not uncommon to be nervous or anxious when visiting the dentist. Many people are also concerned about the financial aspect of treatment and regular checkups.
However, you wouldn’t be alone if the reason you do not visit your general dentist is due to a misunderstanding of how important check-ups are, what they cover and aim to achieve. In this post, we will discuss what general dentistry is and why it is so important to have routine examinations.
What is general dentistry?
General dentistry covers a range of treatment options and procedures fundamental to protecting and maintaining a good standard of oral health. Treatments are in place to keep your mouth, gums, and teeth healthy and free of pain. General dentists are often viewed in a similar way to a GP, the ultimate goal is to prevent and diagnose disease.
Services offered by general dentist which are fundamental to your oral health include;
Routine examinations
A routine examination is at the centre of creating your personal dental plan. It allows your general dentist to clearly define what treatment is necessary for your continued oral health. Sometimes referred to as a “dental check-up”, a routine examination will provide a thorough inspection of the tissues of your head and neck, jaw joints, mouth, teeth, and gums. Identifying any underlying oral health problems such as disease, tooth decay, and cancer.
A routine examination can spot early signs of any irregularities and treat them before they progress further. This is extremely important as many oral health issues are “silent” and go unnoticed.
Most routine examinations will not only involve your general dentist physically looking at your mouth but will also take pictures using X-rays to further evaluate your oral health. This is to check how your teeth line up when you bite, check for cavities, check the positioning of all your teeth and jaw, and check for any abnormalities including bone loss. X-rays will provide a more in-depth look at your situation.
It is important to note, a routine examination will not prevent oral health complications. It assesses your personal situation to build a plan to help prevent problems and improve your overall oral health.