Dental Check-up, Scale and Cleans, Fluoride and X-rays

Dental Check-up, Scale and Cleans, Fluoride and X-rays Seven Hills

At My Local Dentists Seven Hills, we believe regular maintenance avoids a significant breakdown.

Regular dental check-ups, scale and cleans are recommended for children and adults of ALL ages.

Your Dentists Seven Hills Difference

You can be assured that we won’t rush your appointment. Our dental check and cleans can take up to 30-45 minutes (for adults) because we provide high-quality and thorough examinations to ensure that you and your family’s dental health is in good hands.

At your dental check-up, scale and clean appointment, our dentists carefully examine all your teeth and gums to ensure that your mouth is sound and healthy. Whether it be the health of your gums, sensitivity in your teeth, or extensive damage from your diet, we will explain in detail what is happening in your mouth so that you understand the situation and how we can work together to look after your oral health.

Regular dental examinations are essential to detect early signs of dental decay, oral cancer, and gum disease and to discuss your concerns regarding your smile, sleep disturbances, or aching jaw joints.

Why are regular dental visits important?

“Regular maintenance avoids the major breakdown.”

Visiting a dentist every 6 months for a check-up and cleanup is crucial in ensuring the mouth, gums, and teeth remain healthy and functional. They help prevent tooth decay, tooth loss and gum disease.

Did you know that 3 out of the 5 top silent diseases in Australia are dentally related?

The number 1 silent disease is tooth decay; third is edentulism, that is, having no teeth; and fifth is gum disease, which is strongly linked to heart disease and diabetes. All these diseases are preventable through regular dental check-ups.

Dental Scaling

Your teeth are scaled to clean along the gum line area to remove any bits of plaque and calculus (also called tartar) that may be built up. Plaque is the soft, chalky bits of leftover food, and calculus is the hard version of plaque on the gum line around the teeth.

Both plaque and calculus can cause damage to the gums and bones that hold the teeth in place and lead to gum disease (periodontal disease).

Associated with gum disease are bleeding, swelling, gum recession, sensitivity to hot/cold/sweet/sour foods and drinks, cold air, and tooth brushing.

Prophy Clean or Polish

Prophy cleans (also known as ‘cleans’) polish the outer surfaces of the teeth to remove stains and residual plaque.

Often, if there are many stains on the teeth, prophy cleans can help make them look whiter and smoother.

Dental Fluoride Application

When we eat foods and drinks with lots of sugars and acids (e.g., lollies, chocolate, sports drinks, energy drinks, lemons, oranges, tomatoes, etc.), our teeth are weakened and softened microscopically.

Fluoride helps to remineralise the tooth structure to strengthen it, protect it from further damage and slow down the activity of bacteria that cause tooth decay (cavities).

Research shows that teeth with fluoride exposure have lower incidences of tooth decay/cavities than teeth without fluoride exposure.

Dental X-rays

“Do I need them?” I hear you ask. It would help to have X-rays every two years to check for early signs of decay or bone loss. If we can detect them early enough, we can help you reverse this preventable silent disease.

Dental X-rays are taken to help look under the tooth’s surfaces, which the naked eye can’t see. Larger whole-mouth X-rays called OPGs examine the whole jaw and bone structures.

What can dental x-rays detect?

Small areas of decay between teeth are not visible in the mouth
Issues with crowns, bridges, root canals, or existing fillings
The presence and severity of gum disease
Abscesses or other sorts of infections
Tooth development issues include malformed teeth, extra or missing teeth, etc.
Cysts and some types of tumour
Traumatising wounds like fractured teeth and bones
Teeth’s proximity to sinuses and nerves
Wisdom teeth development and whether extraction is necessary

We recommend taking X-rays on your first visit and updating them every 2 years to ensure that the teeth and jaw bones are sound and healthy.

Dental Check-up, Scale and Cleans, Fluoride and X-rays in Seven Hills

Regular dental check-ups, scale and cleans, fluoride treatments, and X-rays are essential for maintaining a healthy, beautiful smile. Our thorough 30-45-minute appointments ensure your oral health is in professional hands. Don’t wait for a problem to arise—schedule your appointment today at My Local Dentists Seven Hills!

Call us on (02) 8605 1696 or request an appointment online.

We are located at Shop 55, (Ground Floor) Seven Hills Plaza, 224 Prospect Hwy, in Seven Hills.

FAQs

Why are regular dental check-ups important?

Regular dental visits help prevent tooth decay, loss, gum disease, and other severe conditions. They also allow for early detection of issues such as oral cancer and gum disease.

How often should I visit the dentist for a check-up?

Visiting the dentist every six months is recommended for a check-up and cleaning.

What is dental scaling?

Dental scaling cleans the gum line to eliminate tartar and plaque, which may result in gum disease and harm the teeth’s supporting tissues and bones.

What is a prophy clean or polish?

A prophy clean polishes the outer surfaces of the teeth to remove stains and residual plaque, helping to make teeth look whiter and smoother.

Why is fluoride application important?

Fluoride helps remineralise tooth structure, strengthen teeth, protect against further damage, and slow down bacteria that cause tooth decay.

Do I need dental X-rays?

Dental X-rays are recommended every two years to detect early signs of decay, bone loss, and other problems that are not readily apparent.

Are dental X-rays safe?

Yes, dental X-rays are safe. The amount of radiation is extremely low, equivalent to what you would receive during a 1-2 hour flight. They can be safely taken for both children and adults, including pregnant women, with minimal exposure.

What can dental X-rays detect?

Dental X-rays can detect small areas of decay, problems with existing dental work, gum disease, abscesses, tooth development issues, cysts, tumours, traumatic injuries, and the development of wisdom teeth.