Most people are advised to visit a dentist in Southampton every six months, but we know it can be tempting to skip your regular appointments if you think there is nothing wrong with your teeth. However, it’s worth remembering that small dental problems often cause few if any symptoms. By catching them at this stage, we can provide treatment that is less invasive and which will be less expensive. Any follow-up appointments for treatment are also likely to be quicker.
Catching Any Small Problems at an Early Stage
During your appointment, our Southampton dentist will carefully check every single tooth for any signs of lesions that could indicate the beginning of a cavity. By catching tooth decay at this early stage, we can either decide to monitor the lesion or we may try to harden the tooth using fluoride treatments. Sometimes very small lesions can repair themselves with preventative dental care combined with improved dental care at home and perhaps avoiding eating too many sugary snacks in between mealtimes. Otherwise we can fill any small lesions very easily, often by using the very latest white cosmetic fillings that will be virtually invisible and which are very hard wearing.
Renewing Old Fillings and Restorations
Another thing will be looking for is any signs of deterioration in existing fillings. All tooth restorations need replacing every so often as they can begin to crumble and leak, letting in bacteria that can cause decay and infection. By regularly replacing your fillings you can prevent this from happening.
Oral Cancer Screenings
Your regular dental check-ups also include a screening for oral cancer. Although this disease isn’t very common, one major issue is that it is often diagnosed during the later stages when treatment is much more difficult, more invasive and less successful. We want to prevent this from happening and our dentist in Southampton will carefully assess all your oral tissues including your cheeks, lips, gums, the roof and floor of your mouth and your tongue. We are looking for any changes to the colour of these tissues as well as any changes in texture. Another thing to be aware of is any sore spots that haven’t healed within a couple of weeks.
It’s unlikely that we will find anything wrong, but if we do we can quickly and painlessly take a small sample of cells to send off for analysis or we might choose to refer you to a specialist for a more detailed examination. Your oral cancer screening is very quick and non-invasive but it’s an extremely important part of your regular dental check-up and is normally carried out on an annual basis.
Get in Touch with Us If You Are Ever Worried about Any Changes to Your Oral Tissues
If you ever notice any changes to the inside of your mouth or have any sore spots that fail to heal in between screenings then we do encourage you to contact our Southampton dentist so we can take a look. We’d far rather you get in touch with us then worry about something that may well be due to a completely different problem.
If it’s time for your check-up then get in touch with us today on 02380 442626. You can also contact us through our website at www.smilemakers.co.uk.
