Do you only schedule a checkup when you feel something might be wrong? Unfortunately, lots of people still ignore polite reminders from their dental office, believing that regular dental checkups are unnecessary. This couldn’t be further from the truth! Ideally, most people will need to see a dentist in Newcastle at six-monthly intervals and should have their teeth cleaned professionally at these visits.

Why See a Dentist Regularly When Everything Seems Fine?


All too often, the earliest signs of dental disease are easy to ignore, for example, gums that might bleed when you brush or floss, or noticing that a tooth feels more sensitive to hot and cold foods. Other symptoms are silent or are overlooked entirely. Yet this is the very best time to detect and treat dental problems, when they are still developing and have yet to cause any real discomfort, or even worse, dental pain!

At this stage, dental checkups can detect the very first beginnings of disease or signs that fillings or other restorations are failing. By receiving dental treatment now, your dentist can preserve more of the natural tooth, and the procedure will most likely be quicker, less invasive and cheaper too! In the longer-term, your routine dental checkups will save you time and money, and you are less likely to develop a nasty toothache!

What to Expect During Your Checkups


At your regular dental checkups, our dentist in Clarington will assess each tooth for signs of cavities, looking for white spots or tiny lesions that could indicate the beginnings of tooth decay. Your gums are evaluated using a special probe which measures the depth of the space between the gum and tooth. Healthy gums have spaces that are no deeper than 3mm and a depth greater than this could indicate the start of a gum infection or another dental problem. These gum measurements are recorded and are compared with measurements taken at subsequent appointments, continually monitoring your overall gum health.

Oral cancer screenings might just save your life, as although this disease is thankfully still fairly uncommon in Canada compared to other countries, an early diagnosis is essential. All too frequently, oral cancer is diagnosed at an advanced stage, by which time treatment is much trickier and less effective. The oral tissues in your mouth can be assessed for any changes or other signs that could need further investigation, and the screening is painless and non-invasive.

Dental Hygiene Appointments


Usually, dental hygiene appointments in Courtice are necessary every six months, although if you have any dental health problems or medical problems which affect your oral health, we might suggest more frequent cleanings. Just like your checkups, dental hygiene appointments are an important part of your preventative dental care routine. During these visits, your teeth are professionally cleaned, removing all tartar buildup and leaving you with a mouth that feels fresh and immaculately clean. Even if you clean your teeth thoroughly each day, it is still likely that some plaque will remain on your teeth and will harden into tartar.

Removing tartar or calculus is crucial for dental health as it contains bacteria that can infect and inflame your gums, causing gum disease.  Gum disease is a common problem, and it can be extremely serious. Advanced gum disease, a condition called periodontal disease, can lead to tooth loss and could even affect your general health, but with ongoing professional dental care, it is preventable!

Your regular dental checkups and hygiene appointments are every bit as important as your regular medical checkups. Excellent ongoing dental care will preserve and protect your natural teeth and your overall health, which is surely something to smile about!


If you are overdue for a checkup, contact West Bowmanville Family Dental to book your appointment.