By the Lakehurst Dental Team · Medically reviewed by Brian S. Klohn, DMD, University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, 1991 · Lakehurst Dental, 19 Union Avenue, Lakehurst, NJ
Quick Answer
A routine visit combines an examination, a screening and a professional clean. The dentist checks the teeth for decay and cracks, assesses the gums and the bone supporting them, reviews existing restorations, examines the soft tissues including screening for oral cancer, and checks the bite and jaw joint. The cleaning removes hardened deposits that brushing cannot. The interval between visits is set individually based on your risk, not on a universal rule.
What This Article Covers
- The Examination Itself
- Assessing the Gums and Supporting Bone
- Oral Cancer Screening
- The Professional Clean
- The Bite, the Joint and Signs of Grinding
- Home Care Coaching
- How Often Should You Go?
- What to Bring Up at Your Appointment
- Frequently Asked Questions
The Examination Itself
The dentist works systematically through the mouth, checking each tooth for decay, cracks, wear and defective margins on existing fillings and crowns.
X-rays may be taken at intervals your dentist judges appropriate, because decay between teeth and changes in the bone around the roots are not visible on direct inspection.
Existing restorations get particular attention. A filling with a breaking-down margin, or a crown with decay at the gum line, is far easier to address early than after the tooth beneath has been undermined.
Assessing the Gums and Supporting Bone
Gum health is assessed by examining the tissues and measuring how the gum attaches around each tooth. Bleeding, swelling and increased pocket depths indicate inflammation and, where it has progressed, loss of the supporting structures.
This matters because gum disease is often painless in its earlier stages. People are frequently surprised to be told they have it, precisely because nothing hurt.
The preventive approach exists because the best way to avert cavities, gum disease and a host of other problems is good oral hygiene, a nutritious diet, a healthy lifestyle and a preventive dental care programme.
Oral Cancer Screening
Periodic examinations enable a dentist to screen for oral cancer and check for other conditions that may affect your general health and wellbeing.
The screening involves examining the soft tissues of the mouth, tongue, floor of the mouth, palate and throat, and feeling the neck and jaw for anything unusual.
It takes very little time, and it is one of the more important things happening at an appointment that patients tend not to notice.
The Professional Clean
Brushing and flossing remove soft plaque. Once plaque hardens into calculus it bonds to the tooth surface and cannot be brushed away — it requires professional instruments.
Calculus is significant because its rough surface holds more plaque against the gum, driving the inflammation that leads to gum disease. Removing it resets the situation.
The clean also removes surface staining, which is why teeth often look brighter afterwards, though this is a side effect rather than the purpose.
The Bite, the Joint and Signs of Grinding
The dentist checks how the teeth meet, whether the jaw joint moves smoothly, and whether there is evidence of clenching or grinding — flattened biting surfaces, chipped edges, or wear facets that match between the arches.
These findings often explain symptoms patients have not connected to their teeth, such as morning headaches or jaw soreness. Where relevant, a night guard may be discussed.
Uneven wear can also point to a bite issue worth addressing before it damages teeth or restorations further.
Home Care Coaching
At every checkup visit your oral hygiene routine at home is reviewed, with detailed instruction on the best methods of brushing and flossing to keep your smile clean and reduce harmful accumulations of dental plaque.
This is more useful than it sounds. Most people brush adequately in some areas and consistently miss others, and the pattern shows in where inflammation and decay appear.
Being shown the specific areas you are missing, on your own teeth, changes outcomes more than general advice does.
How Often Should You Go?
There is no single correct interval for everyone. Someone with excellent home care, no history of gum disease and low decay risk may safely be seen less often than someone with active gum disease, a high decay rate, a dry mouth, or a heavy grinding habit.
Your dentist sets the interval based on your risk and adjusts it as that changes. It is a clinical judgement, not an administrative default.
The practical case for regular attendance is simple: it is far cheaper and less invasive to treat a small cavity than a tooth that needs root canal treatment and a crown.
What to Bring Up at Your Appointment
Mention any sensitivity, pain, bleeding gums, bad taste, loose teeth, clicking jaw, ulcers that have not healed, or changes you have noticed. Bring your night guard if you wear one.
Update the practice on your medical history, including new medications and supplements. Many medications reduce saliva flow, which meaningfully increases decay risk and changes what advice is appropriate.
Being examined is the useful part. Reporting what you have noticed makes it considerably more useful.
Frequently Asked Questions
The teeth for decay, cracks and wear; existing fillings and crowns; the gums and the bone supporting the teeth; the soft tissues, including screening for oral cancer; and the bite and jaw joint. X-rays may be taken at appropriate intervals.
Brushing removes soft plaque, but once plaque hardens into calculus it bonds to the tooth and cannot be brushed off. Calculus holds more plaque against the gum, which drives inflammation, so professional removal is necessary.
It depends on your individual risk. Someone with good home care and no history of gum disease may need to be seen less often than someone with active gum disease, high decay risk or a dry mouth. Your dentist sets and adjusts the interval.
Yes. Periodic examinations allow the dentist to screen for oral cancer and check for other conditions that may affect your general health. The soft tissues of the mouth and the neck are examined.
They show what direct inspection cannot, including decay between teeth and changes in the bone around the roots. Your dentist takes them at intervals appropriate to your individual situation.
Often not in its earlier stages, which is why many people are surprised to be told they have it. Bleeding when brushing is a common early sign and should not be dismissed as normal.
Any sensitivity, pain, bleeding gums, ulcers that have not healed, jaw clicking or changes you have noticed. Also update them on your medical history and any new medications, since many affect saliva flow and therefore decay risk.
Speak With a Dentist in Lakehurst
If it has been a while since your last checkup, the visit is usually far less involved than people expect — and problems found early are the cheapest ones to fix. Lakehurst Dental has cared for families in Lakehurst, Toms River and across Ocean and Monmouth counties for more than 34 years. To ask a question or arrange a consultation, call (732) 943-4090 or contact our office.
This article is general information and is not a substitute for an examination and personal advice from your dentist.