Dental Exams & Oral Hygiene Care

Why is oral hygiene so important?

The key to maintaining oral health is taking preventative measures. Proper techniques when brushing your teeth twice a day, and flossing daily is essential in ensuring optimum oral health. Preventative dentistry helps to address concerns as early as possible and prevent issues such as tooth decay and gum disease.

How often should I visit my dental office?

Most patients should be visiting for their routine check up at 6 months to allow your dental care team assess the condition of your teeth and gums. However hygiene appointment frequencies may vary based on your Registered Dental Hygienist’s recommendations – including 3 month & 4 month intervals to optimize ensuring your gums remain healthy. 

What should I expect during my visit?

Your dental visit is broken up into 2 main parts: the exam, and the dental hygiene cleaning.

For adults it is recommended to have an annual exam, and for children it is recommended to have a bi-annual exam. Always let your dental care team know if you do have any concerns, even if you are only there for hygiene, as we can arrange your dentist to come in for an exam to assess your concern. 

During your dental exam, your dentist will review your updated medical history, and visually assess the health of your gums and teeth. Periodically, typically every 12 months, your dental team will take bitewing x-rays to help review the full condition of each tooth including below the gum line, where they cannot see during a visual examination. They will assess the health of your root systems & teeth positioning, hidden signs of decay, bone loss, or underlying conditions such as cysts/infection. Once the examination is complete, you and your dentist will discuss treatment plan options for any existing concerns.

During your dental hygiene portion of your visit, your Registered Dental Hygienist will overview the health of your gums and review your at home oral care such as teeth brushing and flossing practices. They will then begin the scaling process, which is a procedure that uses handheld instruments (either a dental scaler/curette, or an ultrasonic instrument that features a metal vibrating tip & cool water spray) to remove plaque and tartar from the surfaces of your teeth as well as hard to reach areas such as below your gum line. The scaling will be completed by dividing the areas of your mouth into 4 quadrants, ensuring each area has been thoroughly addressed before moving onto the next – this may be done in a single visit, or if it has been a period of time since your last visit you may need multiple visits to catch up. Once all of the plaque and tartar build-up has been removed, the hygienist will then polish your teeth for a shining smile, and then an application of fluoride treatment will be provided to help strengthen your tooth enamel. 

Will my visit be covered by insurance?

Each insurance plan varies on what is covered. Our dental team will always base their recommendations for treatment on the condition of your mouth, and not your dental plan coverage. We encourage patients to ensure to review their insurance coverage details such as their annual maximum, along with frequencies (for recall examinations, bitewings, polish, and fluoride) & available scaling units. As a courtesy to prevent any surprise costs, our administration team is happy to send pre-authorizations to your insurance company to help find out coverage details for you. If you are unsure whether a procedure will be covered – please feel free to ask our team!