About Us

Oral self-examination is stressed so that we become aware of any unusual changes at an early stage. Self- examination of the mouth alerts one for the changes that occur there. You do check to see if your teeth look clean. or if you have a sore throat then you see the back of the throat is red or your tonsils are swollen. But your knowledge about what is going on in our mouths is rather limited. At times, many changes that are visible to the naked eye cause no pain at an early stage? Education is your best friend so you will easily know what you’re looking for. All you have to do, from time to time, is to take a look at our page and call a dentist when you see you’re having a problem. If you spot any abnormality, please make an immediate dental appointment. It also should go without saying, that it is highly recommended you see a dentist on a regular basis.

Get to know about your mouth

Some parts of the mouth are quite difficult to see clearly. You need a good light and a mirror that will not get steamed up. One way to prevent steaming up is to warm the mirror and/or keep the reflecting surface moist. It is possible to buy a small mirror on a handle, like the one the dentist uses, so that you can see what is going on behind your teeth.

If you see the presence of tartar around the gum line of your tooth or teeth, please visit your dentist so that he or she can examine your mouth,detect periodontal pocket and take an x- ray to make sure about any bone loss

What is a periodontal pocket?

This is a crevice where the gum tissue has “detached” from the tooth. If left unattended by a dentist, this “pocket” will:

1. Harbour many bacterias
2. Continue to get worse.
3. Possibly cause you to loose the tooth needlessly.

Remember, before plaque hardens or calcifies, there will be no need to scrape. Just a light touch of the dental scraper in the areas that your toothbrush missed is necessary. Most likely that will be around the orifices or openings of salivary gland areas (molars), and the lower anterior or front teeth both upper and lower.

When to examine your mouth?

Every 2-3 months, after you have brushed your teeth and rinsed your mouth thoroughly.

What might we expect to see in the mouth?

Our lifestyle makes us prone to dental diseases, but we come to know about them at llater stage, when they are costly, painful and sometimes difficult to treat.

• Teeth are at risk of tooth decay or dental erosions and abrasions or we may injure them.
• Gums are at risk of gum disease.
• Other parts of the mouth are called the soft tissues. This includes the inside of the cheeks, on the lips, on or under the tongue, and soft palate. Together with the gums next to the teeth, these can also be affected by ulcers, sore spots, lumps and swellings, white or red patches. It is important to be aware of the early signs of mouth cancer/oral cancer, which affects these areas mainly.

Do I need to check my mouth if I have no teeth remaining?

Yes, you are still at risk of some problems, including mouth cancer/oral cancer.

How do I go about checking my own mouth?

• Wash your hands.
• Remove dentures.
• Stand in front of the mirror in a good light.
• First take a look at your face and neck, to check for any lumps, bumps or swellings. Examine the skin of the face and lips for sores, moles or growths. Press along the sides & front of the neck feeling for any tenderness or lumps.
• Now you are ready to look inside…

Pull your lower lip down and look inside for any sores or colour change (e.g. redness or white patches).

Next using your thumb and forefinger feel the lip for bumps, lumps or texture change or ulcers that are taking a long time to heal.

Repeat this for your upper lip and then along the inside of your cheeks.

You may find it easier to half open the mouth (i.e. not too wide) to do this.

Look directly at the gums that surround all the teeth as viewed from the front. Then use a small mirror to see the view from the tongue side. Look for any signs of bleeding, of swelling or of shrinkage away from the teeth. Again, notice any colour changes or ulcers.

Repeat the process, looking at the teeth as viewed from the front. The small mirror can help to reflect the tongue side of the teeth. Notice any deposits on the teeth, broken and sharp areas, dark spots and obvious food traps.

Stick out your tongue. Take a gauze or tissue and grasp your tongue. View all surfaces, top, sides and underneath to check for any colour change or if there is any ulcer present which is taking too long to heal.

Finally, tilt your head back, with the mouth open wide to see the roof of the mouth and if there are any lumps or if the colour is any different than usual.

The mouth mirror may help again.

Run the tongue or a finger over the surface to feel for bumps.

Looking at the mouth regularly will help to notice any change and dental advice can be sought at an early stage. The dentist can advise you if you start to notice something unusual.

Teeth are meant to last a lifetime, and they can if you give them the attention they deserve.