Exams and Cleanings
Clinically reviewed by Dr. Susie Zhang, General Dentist at Starlight Dental. BDS (King’s College London).
Comprehensive dental exams
We check every tooth and surface for decay, cracks, and wear, assess your gums for early signs of disease, and screen your bite, jaw joint, and soft tissues, including an oral cancer check. Nothing here is rushed; if something needs watching rather than treating today, we’ll say so, not talk you into treatment you don’t need yet.
Thorough dental cleanings
Our dentists remove the plaque and tartar that brushing and flossing can’t reach, polish away surface stains, and check gum health tooth by tooth. Six months is the usual guide, though the right interval really depends on you: more often if you’ve got a history of gum disease or build up tartar quickly, sometimes longer if your hygiene’s excellent and your risk is low.
Digital dental X-rays and photos
Low-radiation digital X-rays let us see decay between teeth, bone levels, and issues below the gumline that a visual exam alone would miss. Intra-oral photos put your own mouth on screen next to you, so any recommendation is something you’ve seen, not just been told.
Sources: Cochrane, Recall Intervals for Oral Health in Primary Care Patients; UK Health Security Agency (Public Health England), Ionising Radiation: Dose Comparisons
FAQs
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Six months is the general guide, though we’ll tailor it up or down once we know your risk.
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Yes, digital X-rays use a fraction of the radiation of older film X-rays, and we only take what’s clinically needed. A single bitewing gives you about as much radiation as 30 minutes of flying, or roughly 50 bananas’ worth (bananas are naturally slightly radioactive too).
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It removes surface stains and reveals your natural tooth colour, but it isn’t a substitute for whitening if you want a shade lighter than your natural teeth.