Most of us would rather not have to spend £50 or thereabouts twice a year so that someone can stand over them with metal implements and poke around (however gently) in our mouths, whilst talking incomprehensibly to someone else who is taking notes. Even worse, when that person with the implements tells us we are going to have to fork out more money on more appointments for treatments that might hurt.
Why do we insist on you coming to the dentist in Harley Street for a regular check-up? The reason is that, no matter how religious you are with brushing your teeth for 2 minutes twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste and a good soft-bristled brush, even if you floss every day and swill around with a mouthwash, you cannot detect the onset of gum disease or tooth decay. Also, if you have missed some plaque while cleaning ? and we all do ? it will have hardened into tartar, which is like cement and needs to be scraped off rather than brushed off. For detection and tartar removal, you need professional help from us at Harley Street Dental Clinic, your dentist in Harley Street, London.
At our dental clinic, one of our hygienists will provide a professional cleaning to remove plaque and tartar, and also advise on your brushing technique, if you need it.
This happens in a separate appointment to your check-up, during which the dentist in Harley Street will look in detail at your teeth for evidence of early decay. Out comes the metal probe, which the dentist uses to gently prod your teeth and gums, feeling for signs of trouble, and using a small mirror with an angled handle to see your teeth properly. You will also be checked to see how your upper and lower teeth come together and also check for tooth grinding jaw problems. We may also take x-rays.
While all of this is going on, your dentist in Harley Street will be talking to the dental nurse in a code that is a shorthand way of recording the state of each tooth, whether it’s eroded, cracked, or the fillings need repairing.