What a check-up is actually looking for

An examination covers the teeth, the gums and the bone that holds them, your bite and how the teeth meet, any existing fillings and crowns, and a soft-tissue check of the tongue, cheeks, palate and throat.

That last one is an oral cancer screening, even when nobody calls it that. It takes seconds and it is one of the strongest arguments for going regularly.

Decay has to get a long way through a tooth before it hurts. Gum disease can destroy a meaningful amount of supporting bone painlessly. The interval between a problem starting and a problem announcing itself is exactly the window an examination exists to use.

A small probe is walked around each tooth and the depth of the gum cuff recorded. Shallow is healthy; deeper means the attachment has been lost. It is repeatable, so the numbers can be compared with last time — a direction of travel is more informative than any single reading.

X-rays show what the eye cannot: decay between teeth, bone levels, infection at the root tip, and unerupted teeth. They are taken when there is a reason, at an interval matched to your risk, not automatically at every visit. It is reasonable to ask why one is being recommended, and there should be a specific answer.

The right recall interval varies with gum health, how fast you form tartar, your decay history, whether you smoke, and your medical history. Some people are better seen every three or four months; some can safely go longer. Ask what yours is based on.