General Dental Check-Ups

Regular dental check-ups are important as they help to ensure the health of your teeth and gums. During your dental check-up, your dentist checks your overall oral health and examines for things like decay, faulty fillings, bleeding gums and any other mouth diseases. Next, your teeth will be cleaned. Although brushing and flossing can help to remove the plaque from your teeth, it is difficult to remove tartar at home. Your dentist will use a scaler to remove the tartar.

During the checkup, your dentist may also conduct dental X-rays to detect problems which may not be obvious during the clinical examination. An X-ray can reveal:

• Small areas of decay between the teeth
• Location of impacted wisdom teeth
• Presence of gum disease
• Infections in the bone
• Developmental abnormalities
• Abscesses, cysts or tumours

Apart from practicing good oral hygiene, regular dental check ups are essential for early detection of any cavities and decay. Tackling the problems earlier will save a lot of hassle in the long term. It may save your tooth from extractions or root canal treatment! The scaling and polishing also services the gums, keeping them in optimum health.

It really depends on how well you are able to maintain your oral health.

 For some patients with weak gums, it may require them to come in every 3-6 months. Whereas for patients with very healthy gums that are able to brush well, they may only need to come once every 9-12 months.

 Speak to your dental professional to find out your optimum service interval!

In Singapore, dental procedures claimable under Medisave include:

• Surgical removal of teeth
• Dental implants
• Drainage of dental and gum abscesses
• Certain types of bone grafting surgery
• Surgical root canal treatment

Patients who belong to lower and middle-income groups can also get subsidies through the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS). Singapore citizens who fall under the Pioneer Generation Scheme or are born before 1st January 1950 are entitled to receive benefits regardless of income level.