What to Expect at a Check-Up and Clean

1. Arrival and any history update

When you arrive, our team will confirm your details and any changes since your last visit — new medications, recent health issues, pregnancy, anxiety, or anything specific you would like discussed. This takes only a couple of minutes and helps us tailor the visit.

2. A conversation in the chair

Your dentist will ask whether you have noticed anything — sensitivity, bleeding gums, a tooth that feels different, a sore spot, or anything else. This is the best time to mention small concerns. Even short twinges can be a useful clue.

3. The examination

The examination usually includes:

• A look at each tooth, including the chewing surfaces, the spaces between, and the gum line
• A gentle check of existing fillings and crowns
• Assessment of the gums with a small probe to check for pockets or bleeding points
• A brief look at the bite — how the teeth come together
• A check of the soft tissues — cheeks, tongue, palate, floor of the mouth, throat — and the lymph nodes under the jaw and neck. This is the oral cancer screen.
• For patients with wisdom teeth or known TMJ issues, a quick check of those areas as well

4. X-rays — when needed

X-rays are not part of every check-up. Whether we take new ones depends on your decay risk, when you last had imaging, and what we are seeing on examination. Most adults have bitewing X-rays every one to two years, and an OPG every few years. Children’s X-rays are taken less often and only when there is a clinical reason. We always explain why an X-ray is being taken before going ahead.

5. The clean

The clean (scale and clean) is usually the longest part of the visit. We:

• Remove tartar (calcified plaque) from above the gum line using a fine ultrasonic instrument
• Check below the gum line and gently clean any tartar from there
• Polish the teeth with a soft cup and a mildly abrasive paste to remove surface staining
• Floss between the teeth at the end of the clean

The clean is usually comfortable. If you have sensitive teeth or anxious patches in your mouth, please mention it — we can adjust the technique and apply a desensitising treatment.

6. Fluoride — when appropriate

A fluoride varnish or gel is sometimes applied after the clean, especially for children, patients with higher decay risk, or anyone with exposed root surfaces. It only takes a couple of minutes. See our fluoride treatment page for more.

7. A summary and any treatment planning

At the end of the visit your dentist will summarise what they have seen, talk through any treatment that has been picked up, and answer your questions. Where treatment is needed, we provide a written quote with item numbers so you can review it and check with your health fund before booking.

8. Booking the next visit

Most adults are recalled every six to twelve months depending on their individual risk. Patients with stable mouths and low decay risk may stretch to twelve months; patients with active issues or higher gum disease risk are usually seen at three- to six-month intervals.