Having regular dental check-ups is important for many reasons, from keeping your teeth clean to catching cavities and gum disease early. However, it can be easy to forget everything you wanted to ask during the appointment and come out not knowing any more about your teeth. This article explains three questions you can ask during your appointment to make the most of the opportunity.

How Could You Be Taking Better Care of Your Teeth?

This is perhaps the most important question you can ask your dentist, as it allows you to get honest, personalised advice on how to take care of your teeth. Perhaps your dentist has noticed that you haven't been flossing, or have been missing your back teeth when brushing. Maybe you need to drink less coffee or use a different toothpaste or mouthwash. Being proactive and asking what you can do will help you and your dentist work together to improve your oral health. If you have more specific questions or want recommendations on what products to use or what your oral hygiene routine should look like, don't hesitate to ask.

What Dental Issues Should You Be Looking out For?

As well as discussing how to take care of your teeth, you may want to ask your dentist about any issues you should be looking out for. For example, you may have mild gum disease and need to discuss what the signs of it worsening may look like—as the NHS explains, there are ways to spot more advanced gum disease, such as bad breath and shrinking gums. You may have experienced dental issues due to age, smoking, or even grinding your teeth at night, and a dental check-up is a great way to assess their progress and talk about what you can expect.

How Can You Improve the Appearance of Your Teeth?

You may feel completely confident about the appearance of your teeth and not need to ask this question. However, many people dislike how their teeth look, whether they would prefer whiter teeth or straighter teeth. If this is the case, you might benefit from asking your dentist about cosmetic dentistry options. Your dentist will be able to discuss different procedures with you, such as veneers, braces or whitening, and explain how they work, whether they are suitable for you and how much they will cost. Your regular check-up is the best time to ask, as your dentist will be familiar and up-to-date with the current health and look of your teeth.

By talking about how you can improve your oral health, what to look out for before the next check-up and how you can make your teeth look better, you can make the most of your dental check-up and feel empowered and informed.

Contact a dentist to learn more.