The most important procedure you will ever have carried out at your dentist is your regular check-up. This appointment, often only made twice a year, can help keep your teeth healthy and spot any potential problems early, so they don’t become major problems. Dental health checks not only help patients maintain good oral health, but dentists can often spot the first signs of conditions such as mouth or throat cancer during these regular visits, diseases which are easier to treat if found early.

At Dublin18 Dental Care there is a comprehensive and detailed 13-point plan that all the dentists follow when giving patients a dental health check, whether they are new clients from Leopardstown or they have been coming here for years. Although each person is different and will have different problems and issues that they want to discuss with the dentist, the 13-point plan has been developed to cover the most common problems.

It will start with a general chat about the patient’s current oral and general health before the dentist carries out that vital screening for mouth cancer. Other areas of the mouth are then checked for any signs of disease, such as the salivary glands and the tongue. Only then does the practitioner move on to the parts of the mouth that other dentists usually start with i.e. the teeth and gums. After checking for any indication of tooth decay and any issues with the patient’s current fillings, crowns or false teeth, the next step at Dublin18 Dental Care is to make sure that both the teeth and the jaw are in the correct place.

After the gums have been checked the dentist will again have a chat with the patient about their oral healthcare routine. On a first visit, or if the practitioner has spotted something unusual, X-Rays may be required, but most dental health checks will end once both the patient and dentist are happy that all areas of the mouth have been checked and all questions answered.