First Visit

There are many reasons why it’s important to see the dentist regularly. The first, of course, is for healthy teeth and gums—during your routine dental exams, we can identify potential problems before they become serious. Regular dental visits are also an important tool for detecting oral cancers. As part of your comprehensive dental exams, we check the soft tissues of the mouth, the tongue, lips, and neck for abnormal lesions that need further attention. Finally, your dental health is closely tied to your overall well-being. There is a growing body of evidence that demonstrates links between gum disease and inflammation, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and even preterm birth. Infection in the teeth can easily spread to other parts of the body and without a strong bite, you can’t eat the healthy foods that nourish your body.

For most patients, we recommend scheduling comprehensive dental exams and cleanings every six months, no matter what your age. If you have gum disease, we may recommend more frequent visits, as regular dental cleanings are an important part of periodontal maintenance.

During your first dental visit, we perform a comprehensive exam and oral cancer screening in order to identify any areas of concern. We also perform a dental cleaning, which is critical to maintaining good oral health—plaque on your teeth eventually hardens into calculus (tartar), and the only way to remove this is with a professional dental cleaning. Once your teeth are cleaned, they are polished to create a smooth surface, which makes it harder for new plaque deposits to collect. 

Most importantly, at your first visit, we’ll get to know you and the concerns you have about the health and appearance of your smile. We’ll go over your dental history and any records you bring from your previous dental practice and, if needed, take dental x-rays in order to diagnose any issues that aren’t apparent upon visual exam.

We ask that you fill out all new patient forms prior to your visit and make a list of medications you’re currently taking. It’s helpful if you can also bring records from your previous dentist so we can understand the dental work you’ve had in the past.

Of course! You should brush and floss your teeth as you normally would before your appointment.

Patients with gum disease, frequent cavities, and other dental problems generally need more frequent dental x-rays than patients without this kind of history. You may need x-rays with every routine dental exam if you have gum disease in order for us to monitor the health of your teeth and jawbone.