Maintain My Teeth Johannesburg
Check-ups, Cleaning, Fluoride and SealantsMost dental problems are cheaper, quicker and less painful to prevent than to repair.
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Healthy teeth are kept, not rescued
A check-up finds decay while it is still a small filling. Left alone, that same tooth can need a crown or root canal treatment. Maintaining your teeth means a regular professional clean, a proper look at every tooth, and protecting the surfaces most likely to decay.
How often you come in matters more than what you do between visits.
What Maintaining Your Teeth Involves
Maintenance is three things working together: removing what you cannot reach at home, spotting problems while they are small, and strengthening the surfaces where decay starts.
None of it takes long. A check-up and clean is usually one appointment, twice a year.
Your dentist sets the interval that suits your mouth.
Which Maintenance Do You Need?
Six treatments cover almost everything involved in keeping your teeth healthy.
Routine Check-Up
Your dentist examines every tooth, checks your gums, and takes X-rays where they are needed.
This is where problems get caught while they are still small and still cheap to treat.
Professional Cleaning
A professional clean removes the plaque and hardened tartar you cannot reach at home.
It matters most below the gum line, which is exactly where gum disease starts.
Polishing and Fluoride
A polish lifts surface stain and leaves the tooth smooth, so plaque sticks less easily.
Fluoride strengthens enamel against the acids that cause decay.
Pit and Fissure Sealants
A thin coating seals the deep grooves in back teeth, where decay almost always starts.
Most useful for children soon after the adult molars come through.
Teeth Whitening
Whitening lifts stain from enamel. It works best on teeth that are already healthy and properly cleaned.
That is why it sits alongside maintenance rather than instead of it.
Healthy Gums
Gum disease is the leading cause of adult tooth loss, and it starts silently.
Keeping your gums healthy is what keeps the teeth you have.
Why Dental Check-ups Pay?
A cavity caught early takes one visit. The same cavity a year later can need root canal treatment and a crown.
How Often Should You Come In?
Six months is the usual interval. It is short enough to catch decay and gum problems early, and long enough that most healthy mouths need nothing more.
Your dentist may set a shorter interval if you have had gum disease, if you smoke, if you grind your teeth, or if you get cavities easily.
Children often need more frequent visits while the adult teeth are coming through.
Signs You Should Not Wait For
- Gums that bleed when you brush or floss
- Teeth that are sensitive to hot or cold
- A dull ache, or pain when you bite down
- A rough edge, chip or visible dark spot
- Bad breath that does not clear with brushing
- A filling that feels loose or has come out
When should you come in sooner?
These are not reasons to feel awkward about a gap between visits. They are reasons to come in now rather than in six months.
Ready to Book Your Check-Up?
Our dentists see patients at four practices across Johannesburg.