The visit that keeps the others small
A routine check-up is mostly looking. The dentist checks each tooth, the gums, the bite and the soft tissue of the mouth, and compares what they see with your last visit. A cleaning is the hands-on part: a hygienist removes the hardened deposits that a toothbrush cannot shift, then polishes the surfaces smooth.
Neither should hurt much. Sensitive spots can sting during the cleaning, and it is fine to say so and ask for a pause. The point of the visit is to find small changes while they are still small.
What this page covers
- What happens at a routine examination, step by step
- Scaling and polishing, and why the hygienist uses a probe
- Dental X-rays: the common kinds and why they are taken
- How the interval between visits is usually decided
- What the dentist may write on your chart, and how to ask about it
- Questions to bring if you have not been for a few years
How often to go
There is no single right interval. Many people go twice a year, some are asked to come more often because of gum problems, and some with very healthy mouths are told a longer gap is fine. Ask your dentist why they suggest the interval they do, and what would change it.
A question worth asking: “What did you look at today, and is anything worth watching before my next visit?”
Common questions
Usually not. Many practices take a set of bitewing X-rays at intervals and only take others when there is a reason. You can ask what each one is for before it is taken.
Some bleeding during a cleaning is common, especially if the gums are inflamed. Tell the hygienist, and ask whether it suggests anything you should change at home.
A good practice is used to people coming back after a long gap. Saying so at the start helps the team plan the visit, and many people find the first appointment is mostly an examination.
This page is general information. It is not a diagnosis or advice about your own teeth; ask a licensed dentist who has examined you.