Οδοντίατρος Καλαμάτα - Αθανάσιος Νικητόπουλος - Dental Aesthetics

Preventive check

Prevention is the best treatment in any field of general health, as of course in Dentistry. Although more and more people follow this “golden” rule, we still see many cases of patients with dental problems that could easily have been avoided with regular visits to the dental office for a check-up. Regular dental checkups are the simplest and most effective way to maintain our oral health. We can prevent problems or treat them in time and thus avoid more complex treatments in the future. Even if we take care of our oral hygiene every day, there are problems that do not show visible signs and do not cause discomfort or pain. It is generally accepted that we should do two preventive checks a year. If we judge that you are not at high risk for tooth decay or periodontal problems, one visit per year may be sufficient. However, some categories of people, such as smokers, pregnant women, diabetics, people with a weak immune system, may need more checks per year.

During the checkup we will first ask for a complete medical history and then do a detailed clinical examination. We will check the teeth for signs of decay, and x-rays may be needed to detect any invisible decay between the teeth. We will also examine the gums for any irritation, swelling, redness, subsidence, etc.

A key part of the examination is checking for plaque and calculus on the surface of the teeth and also on the gum line. Any significant plaque and calculus build-up may have already created periodontal problems such as gingivitis, which must be treated early to prevent it from developing into periodontitis. That is why in every preventive check we remove plaque, stone and food residues, while at the end of the cleaning we polish the surface of the teeth to prevent as much as possible the re-accumulation of plaque. By cleaning we also remove surface “stains” from the teeth.

Since of course information is a necessary element of prevention, we will give you all the information and instructions you need to protect your oral health. Daily habits, diet, proper brushing technique and tooth care are topics we will discuss with the common goal of effective prevention. If we have detected problems during the screening, we will begin to formulate the appropriate treatment plan, discussing all alternatives.