Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Periodic Oral Exam

Your dentist periodic oral exam is a necessary part of your re-care appointment with your dental hygienist to help keep your teeth and gums healthy.  While watching television you probably noticed that gingivitis has made it to prime-time advertising.  For millions of people, the emphasis in dental visits has sifted from treatment of tooth decay to prevention of gum disease.


Have you noticed any of the early warning signs of gum disease?  Do the gums bleed when you brush?  Are the gums red, tender or swollen or detach from the teeth?  Does pus appear from the gum-line when the gums are pressed?  Have teeth become loose or shifted?  Is there any change in the way that your teeth fit together when you bite?  Is there any change in the fit of partial dentures?  Is there chronic bad breath?  Your dentist can help you with any of these problems.

In addition to the periodic oral examination of your lips, cheeks, teeth, gums, tongue and palate for suspicious tissue changes, the probing of the gums during the periodontal exam is performed specifically to detect the early signs of the progression of gum disease to bone decay or periodontal disease.  Dr. Dulski introduces the periodontal examination by stating, "Probing depths of ones, twos of threes with no tenderness or bleeding indicates healthy gums.  Measurements of four or more with tenderness or bleeding is a sign of infection."  This gives the patient the opportunity to learn the health status of the gums as Dr. Dulski calls out the measurements for the recording of the periodontal exam.  At Adult Dentistry of Rochester, our goal is early detection of periodontal disease through your periodic oral examination.  Our message is, "Healthy gums don't bleed.  Early detection and treatment of periodontal disease avoids tooth loss."

Tags: Periodic Oral Exam, Dentist, Periodontal Exam, Gingivitis, Periodontitis

9 comments:

  1. If you are at your internist or at the general dentist's, an "exam" is essential for proper diagnosis.

    Due to insurance and the need to remain productive, internists are delegating patient visits to a nurse practitioner and general dentists let the hygienist determine whether to call the dentist in for a second opinion.

    Generally, patients will not see the doctor or the dentist during health care visits. Too often, nurse practitioners and hygienists serve as gate-keepers as opposed to being facilitators, resulting in misdiagnosis, delayed testing and treatment.

    Be thankful if you have an internist and/or a general dentist who personally exams you every time you are in their office.

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  2. The mouth is really a window into the body. Medical conditions may be discovered by a comprehensive dental exam before symptoms show up elsewhere in the body.

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  3. It is important for your hygienist and dentist work together as a team. The hygienist gathers all the data, for example updating medical histories, xrays, periodontal probing depths,and any dental concerns the patient may have. Then he/she relays the information to the Dr. so proper diagnosis can be addressed and taken care of. At Dr. Dulski's office he does see every patient.

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  4. Like Mama Wanda said, in most doctor offices you don't see the doctor but the nurse practitioner. In most dentist office you only see the dentist if you are having a problem,not here. Dr.Dulski sees every patient that comes in the office.

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  5. Dental X-rays are done in our office to detect the following issues.
    Find problems in the mouth such as tooth decay, damage to the bones supporting the teeth, and dental injuries (such as broken tooth roots). Dental X-rays are often done to find these problems early, before any symptoms are present.
    Find teeth that are not in the right place or do not break through the gum properly. Teeth that are too crowded to break through the gums are called impacted.
    Find cysts, solid growths (tumors), or abscesses.
    Check for the location of permanent teeth growing in the jaw in children who still have their primary (or baby) teeth.
    Plan treatment for large or extensive cavities, root canal surgery, placement of dental implants, and difficult tooth removals.
    Plan treatment of teeth that are not lined up straight (orthodontic treatment).

    Without X-rays, dentists may miss the early stages of decay between teeth.

    WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise

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  6. Any kind of dental issue can not be ignored as it can cause major harm to teeth and gums. Regular dental check up can help to keep dental problems away.
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