Check up and oral health examination

What happens when you have a check-up?

When you go for a check-up, your dentist will examine your mouth, checking your teeth, gums and tongue to see if there are any issues or changes since your last appointment. They will work through a mental check-list, making sure that there aren’t any symptoms or signs that could indicate decay, gum disease, infections, or oral cancer. During your check-up, you won’t experience any pain, and the appointment will be over before you know it. You may hear your dentist calling out numbers and letters, which a nurse will record in your notes. This is nothing to worry about. The dentist is simply updating your patient record and noting down any changes.

If you have a clean bill of oral health, your dentist will probably advise you to book another appointment in the next 6-12 months. If there are problems, for example, you have a cavity or signs of gum disease, our dentist will talk to you about the signs they have spotted and discuss treatment options with you. If you need a filling, for example, they will encourage you to arrange another appointment for the procedure.

Oral cancer screening

We provide oral cancer screening as part of our comprehensive oral health examinations. Oral cancer is a type of cancer that affects the soft tissue in the mouth and throat, and it has become much more common in the UK in the last 10 years. When you have a check-up, your dentist will examine your tongue, your throat, your lips and the soft tissue in the cheeks to look for abnormalities and changes. Symptoms of oral cancer include:

• Red or white patches in the mouth or throat
• Slow-healing sores and mouth ulcers
  (ulcers that take longer than 2 weeks to heal)
• Abnormal swelling or lumps
• Unexplained bleeding
• Oral pain
• Difficulty swallowing
• Sore throat