The best way to maintain good oral hygiene is to brush and floss your teeth and to visit your dentist for regularly. Your dentist not only examines your teeth for signs of decay or damage, he also looks for early signs of gum disease and oral cancer.

X-rays of your teeth are usually taken every two years, unless your dentist notices a problem and needs an X-ray to look inside the tooth. it may be more frequent in higher caries risk cases

Your dentist will first ask if there have been any problems since your last dental check up and take a note of any new medication that you may be taking.

At your check up your dentist will :

• Check for early signs of decay or cracks
• Check existing restorations
• Look at your gums for early signs of gum disease
• Examine your tongue, throat, cheeks & lips for signs of oral cancer
• Examine for signs of grinding and associated damage

If cavities are found or your dentist feels that your oral hygiene needs to be improved, he will create a treatment plan outlining the work to be carried out and the costing; you will then need to make an appointment for the necessary treatment.

Occasionally, patients are referred to other dentists who specialise in the relevant fields of dentistry.