Why do dentists check my gums?
Sam, a made-up host, answers this for kids on a sample page for pediatric dentists.
Sam Dental hygienist
These are examples. Your page shows your own team and questions.
Voices from our collection are not recordings of the people shown.
Transcript
Hi, I'm Sam, a dental hygienist.
Why do dentists check my gums?
Your gums are the pink parts of your mouth that hold your teeth. The dentist and hygienist look at your whole mouth, including your teeth and gums. This helps keep your mouth healthy.
The hygienist looks at your gums to see if they are healthy. Sometimes they use a small tool to check the tiny spaces around your teeth. This tool is called a probe, and it helps them look closely.
The probe gently touches the gums next to each tooth to measure the space there. The hygienist may write down some numbers they see. Sometimes your gums might bleed a little bit. This can happen for many reasons.
After the hygienist checks, the dentist looks at your gums too.
Thanks for watching!
Sources
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: About Periodontal (Gum) Disease (opens in a new tab)
- MedlinePlus (National Library of Medicine): Dental Exam (opens in a new tab)
- American Dental Association / MouthHealthy: Common Questions About Going to the Dentist (opens in a new tab)
- National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research: Periodontal (Gum) Disease (opens in a new tab)
- American Dental Association / MouthHealthy: Bleeding Gums (opens in a new tab)