---
title: "Top 10 Dental Check-Up Terms Explained (UK)"
url: https://virtualconsultant.online/guides/top-10-dental-chart-terms-explained-uk
description: "BPE scores, pocketing, caries, calculus, recession, mobility, bitewings and more: ten dental check-up terms explained in plain English for UK patients."
updated: 2026-10-17T00:00:00Z
publisher: Virtual Consultant Online
---

Top 10

Glossary

Check-up

# Top 10 Dental Check-Up Terms Explained in Plain English

During a check-up your dentist may call out numbers and words to a dental nurse, and your notes may contain terms like BPE, pocketing, caries or calculus that mean little to most patients. This guide explains ten of the most common terms, what they mean, why dentists record them and what you can do about them, so that you can follow your own check-up and ask better questions. It is a plain-English glossary, not a diagnosis, and practices use slightly different notes, so your dentist is the best person to explain what has been written about your own mouth.

[Start Photo Assessment](https://virtualconsultant.online/evaluations/quote) [Compare Costs](https://virtualconsultant.online/costs)

| Term | Plain-English meaning | What you can do |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1. BPE (basic periodontal examination) | A quick score of gum health by area of the mouth | Improve cleaning; ask what your score means |
| 2. Pocketing | Depth of the gap between gum and tooth | Professional cleaning; home care |
| 3. Bleeding on probing | Gums bleed when gently measured | Better cleaning between teeth |
| 4. Plaque | Soft film of bacteria on teeth | Brush and clean between teeth daily |
| 5. Calculus (tartar) | Hardened plaque | Scale and polish by a professional |
| 6. Caries | Tooth decay | Fluoride, diet changes, fillings if needed |
| 7. Recession | Gum edge has pulled back | Gentle brushing; find the cause |
| 8. Mobility | How much a tooth moves | Dental review |
| 9. Restorations | Fillings, crowns and other repairs | Keep clean; review regularly |
| 10. Bitewings and other X-rays | Images to see between and inside teeth | Ask why they are needed |

## How we chose these terms

These are terms that patients most often come across in check-up notes, patient information and conversations with dental teams, selected as an editorial list and not from a survey of practices. They are grouped loosely from gum health to teeth to X-rays. Explanations are simplified and general. Dentists use shorthand and different charting systems, and the meaning of a number can depend on context, so do not read too much into a single entry. If something in your notes worries you, ask the dentist. You are entitled to ask for an explanation of your own records and, in the UK, to request a copy of them.

## Why dentists record so much

A check-up generates detailed notes so that changes can be tracked over time, treatment can be planned and any later concern can be compared with the baseline. Your notes may include a chart of each tooth showing fillings, missing teeth and decay, gum measurements, X-ray findings and your risk factors. Dental professionals are expected to keep accurate records and to keep them confidential. The notes help another clinician understand your history if you move practice. Knowing a few terms makes the visit less mysterious and lets you take part in decisions about your care.

## 1. BPE (basic periodontal examination)

BPE is a quick screening check of gum health. The mouth is divided into six sections, and a small probe is gently used to measure the depth of the gap around each tooth and to check for bleeding and tartar, then the worst finding in each section is scored on a scale from 0 to 4, with an asterisk added for particular concerns. Low scores suggest healthy gums or mild inflammation, and higher scores suggest more significant gum disease that needs closer assessment or treatment. It is a screening tool, not a diagnosis. Ask what each of your scores means and whether you need a hygienist appointment. Watch out for assuming that a score of zero means no care is needed, and for ignoring a rising score.

## 2. Pocketing

Pocketing, or probing depth, is the depth of the space between the gum and the tooth, measured in millimetres with a thin probe. Healthy gums usually have shallow measurements, and deeper numbers suggest that the gum has detached from the tooth, forming a pocket where plaque can collect that is hard to clean at home. Deeper pockets are linked with gum disease, and the number can guide treatment. Ask what your measurements were, which teeth are affected and whether they are changing. Watch out for pockets that are getting deeper between visits, for bleeding and for bad breath or taste. Deep cleaning by a dentist or hygienist and good home care can help to control gum disease.

## 3. Bleeding on probing

Bleeding on probing means that the gum bleeds when the dentist or hygienist gently measures it. Healthy gums usually do not bleed, so bleeding is a sign of inflammation, often due to plaque near the gum line. It may be noted as a percentage of sites that bleed or as a mark on the chart. It is a helpful sign because gums that stop bleeding are generally healthier. Ask where the bleeding is and how to clean those areas better. Watch out for avoiding cleaning because gums bleed, which usually worsens things, and for bleeding that continues despite good cleaning, which should be reviewed. Some medicines can also make gums bleed more easily, so mention them.

## 4. Plaque

Plaque is a soft, sticky, colourless film of bacteria that forms on teeth all the time. When it is not removed, the bacteria turn sugars into acid that attacks enamel and irritate the gums. Dentists note how much plaque is present and where, because that shows how well you are cleaning. Brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and cleaning between your teeth daily removes it. A disclosing tablet or solution can stain plaque so that you can see what you miss. Ask the hygienist to show you the areas you tend to leave. Watch out for the back teeth, the gum line and between teeth, and for people with braces, who have more places for plaque to build up.

## 5. Calculus (tartar)

Calculus, also called tartar, is plaque that has hardened with minerals from saliva, forming a rough yellow or brown deposit on teeth, often above and below the gum line. It cannot be brushed off at home and needs to be removed by a dentist or hygienist with a scale and polish. It is rough, so it attracts more plaque and irritates the gums. Notes may mention supragingival, above the gum, or subgingival, below the gum, calculus. Ask how much there is and how often you would benefit from a clean. Watch out for scraping tartar yourself, which can harm teeth and gums, and for leaving it so long that gum disease develops.

## 6. Caries

Caries is the dental term for tooth decay. It happens when acid from bacteria dissolves the mineral in enamel and, if left, forms a cavity that reaches the softer dentine beneath. Early caries may appear as a white or brown patch and can sometimes be reversed with fluoride and less frequent sugar, while a cavity usually needs a filling. Your dentist may note caries as active, arrested or monitored, and may use a coding system for its depth. Ask about your risk and what you can do. Watch out for pain on biting or with sweet food, for visible holes and for ignoring early patches that could be turned around. Regular fluoride toothpaste is the main protection.

## 7. Recession

Recession is when the edge of the gum has moved down, exposing more of the tooth and sometimes the root. It can be caused by gum disease, brushing too hard, thin gum tissue, grinding or the position of the teeth, and it can cause sensitivity and make teeth look longer. Dentists measure and record it so that they can see if it is changing. Recession does not grow back by itself, so finding the cause matters. Ask whether it is stable and what to do about brushing technique or toothpaste. Watch out for scrubbing harder, for notches at the gum line and for recession that is increasing. A dentist can advise on whether any treatment is needed.

## 8. Mobility

Mobility describes how much a tooth moves when the dentist gently tests it. A little movement is normal because teeth sit in ligaments and are not rigid, but increased movement can be a sign that the supporting gum and bone have been affected, by gum disease, injury or heavy biting forces. Mobility may be graded by a number. Ask whether any of your teeth move more than expected and what could be done. Watch out for teeth that feel looser over time, for pain on biting and for pus or swelling. Treatment aims to deal with the cause, such as gum disease, and in some cases to splint or protect the tooth.

## 9. Restorations

Restoration is the dental word for anything that repairs or replaces a tooth, including fillings, inlays, crowns, bridges and implants. Your chart will show which teeth have which type, often with the surface involved and the material. Restorations do not last for ever, and dentists check them for wear, cracks, leaks and decay around the edges. Ask how long your restorations are expected to last and how to look after them. Watch out for rough edges, food catching, sensitivity or discolouration, and for assuming that a treated tooth cannot decay again. Our guides on cosmetic longevity and on braces with crowns and implants explain how restorations affect other treatment.

## 10. Bitewings and other X-rays

A bitewing is a small X-ray taken while you bite on a tab, showing the crowns of the upper and lower back teeth and the bone level between them, which helps to find decay between teeth that cannot be seen. Other images include periapicals, which show the whole tooth and root, and panoramic images, which show all the teeth and jaws on one picture. Dentists choose them according to need. Ask which images you are having, what they are looking for and how the dose compares with other sources of radiation, and ask for a copy for your records. Watch out for refusing necessary images because of misplaced worry, and for not telling the dentist if you are or may be pregnant.

## How to read your own dental notes

You are entitled to ask for a copy of your dental records, and a practice should respond within a set time under data protection law. Ask the dentist to go through them, starting with the chart, then the gum scores and the X-ray findings. Notes often use abbreviations, such as MO for a filling on the biting surface and the tooth next to it, and numbers for teeth. Do not worry about unfamiliar abbreviations. Look for patterns: are scores improving or getting worse, which teeth are being watched and what advice is repeated. Keep a copy if you change practice, and share it with an orthodontist if you are starting treatment.

## Questions to ask about your results

Useful questions are what the findings mean in plain terms, whether anything is getting worse, what you can do at home, whether you need a hygienist or a specialist, what happens if you do nothing, how soon the next check should be and what any treatment would cost. Writing the answers down helps. Our guide on questions to ask your dentist at a check-up offers a fuller list, and our orthodontic glossary explains terms specific to braces and aligners. If you still feel unsure, ask for a second opinion.

## Other words you may hear

Dental teams use many other terms. Gingivitis is inflammation of the gums, usually reversible, and periodontitis is gum disease that has affected the supporting bone and ligaments. Abscess is a collection of pus from infection. Occlusion is how the upper and lower teeth meet, and malocclusion means they do not meet well. Enamel is the hard outer layer of a tooth and dentine the softer layer beneath. Pulp is the nerve and blood supply in the centre. Fissure sealant is a thin coating placed on the biting surfaces of back teeth to help prevent decay. Fluoride varnish is a concentrated fluoride coating painted on the teeth. If you hear a term that is not here, ask for a plain explanation.

## Terms on charts and in the notes

Charts often use short codes. Teeth are numbered or named by position, with upper and lower, left and right, and front to back. Notations such as O, MO or DO describe which surfaces of a tooth have a filling, standing for occlusal, mesial or distal, and others for buccal and lingual or palatal. Letters such as A to E may denote baby teeth in some systems. A dental nurse records what the dentist calls out. These codes are shorthand and vary between systems, so rather than guessing, ask the dentist or nurse to show you the chart and explain what is marked on each tooth.

## Why the numbers change

Scores and measurements can change from one visit to the next for good reasons. Cleaning may have improved or slipped, gums may be inflamed by a cold, hormones or medicines, or a different clinician may measure slightly differently. A single reading matters less than a trend. Dentists look for steady changes over time, such as increasing pocket depth or more bleeding, and for improvement after treatment. If a number worsens, ask what changed and what you can do. If it improves, it is a sign that your routine is working, and it is worth keeping it up.

## How terms relate to treatment choices

The terms in your notes help to explain what your dentist recommends. High gum scores and calculus lead to a scale and polish or deeper cleaning, caries leads to prevention advice or fillings, recession leads to changes in brushing or monitoring, mobility leads to investigations and gum care, and restorations lead to review and replacement at the right time. If you are planning orthodontic treatment, your dentist may want gum health and decay dealt with first. Understanding the link between a finding and a plan lets you ask whether each recommendation is necessary now, and what the alternatives are.

## Key takeaways

Check-up terms such as BPE, pocketing, plaque, calculus, caries, recession, mobility, restorations and bitewings describe the health of your gums and teeth and help your dentist track change. You can ask what each of your entries means and what to do. Good cleaning, regular visits and early action matter most. This is general information, not personal medical advice, so ask your own dentist to explain your notes.

## Useful related pages

[Top 10 Questions to Ask Your Dentist at a Check-Up](https://virtualconsultant.online/guides/top-10-questions-to-ask-your-dentist-at-a-check-up-uk)

[Top 10 Early Signs of Gum Disease](https://virtualconsultant.online/guides/top-10-early-signs-of-gum-disease-uk)

[Top 10 Causes of Tooth Sensitivity](https://virtualconsultant.online/guides/top-10-causes-of-tooth-sensitivity-uk)

[Top 10 Cosmetic Dental Treatments by Longevity](https://virtualconsultant.online/guides/top-10-cosmetic-dental-treatments-by-longevity-uk)

[Orthodontic Glossary](https://virtualconsultant.online/guides/orthodontic-glossary)

[Orthodontic Records](https://virtualconsultant.online/guides/orthodontic-records-uk)

[Accessing Orthodontic Records](https://virtualconsultant.online/guides/accessing-orthodontic-records-uk)

[Dental Work Before Braces](https://virtualconsultant.online/guides/dental-work-needed-before-braces-uk)

[Bleeding Gums and Orthodontics](https://virtualconsultant.online/guides/bleeding-gums-braces-orthodontics-uk)

[How We Compile Our Information](https://virtualconsultant.online/about/methodology)

This guide is for general information only. It is not a diagnosis, treatment plan, or substitute for advice from a registered dentist or orthodontist.

### Compare next steps

[Orthodontist Near Me](https://virtualconsultant.online/locations/orthodontic-treatment-near-me)

[Clear Aligners Near Me](https://virtualconsultant.online/treatments/clear-aligners-near-me)

[Invisalign Near Me](https://virtualconsultant.online/locations/invisalign-provider-near-me)

[Browse Locations](https://virtualconsultant.online/locations)

### Ready for a clearer starting point?

Upload guided photos and receive an indication of likely treatment options and pricing before booking appointments.

[Get an Online Quote](https://virtualconsultant.online/evaluations/quote)

### Frequently Asked Questions

What is a BPE score?

BPE stands for basic periodontal examination, a quick screening of gum health. The mouth is divided into six areas, and each is scored from 0 to 4 according to probing depth, bleeding and tartar. Ask your dentist what your scores mean.

What does caries mean?

Caries is the dental term for tooth decay. Early patches can sometimes be reversed with fluoride and less sugar, while a cavity usually needs a filling. Ask your dentist about your risk.

What is calculus on teeth?

Calculus, or tartar, is hardened plaque that cannot be brushed off. It needs to be removed by a dentist or hygienist with a scale and polish, and it irritates the gums if left.

What does pocketing mean?

Pocketing is the depth of the space between the gum and the tooth, measured in millimetres. Deeper measurements suggest gum disease, where plaque collects in areas that are hard to clean.

What are bitewing X-rays?

Bitewings are small X-rays taken while you bite on a tab. They show the crowns of the back teeth and the bone between them, helping to find decay between teeth that cannot be seen.

Can I see my dental records?

Yes. You can ask the practice for a copy of your records, and they should provide them within a set time under data protection law. Ask the dentist to explain anything you do not understand.

What does tooth mobility mean?

Mobility is how much a tooth moves when tested. A little movement is normal, but increased movement can be a sign of gum disease, injury or heavy biting forces and should be reviewed.

What should I ask about my results?

Ask what each finding means, whether anything is getting worse, what to do at home, whether you need a hygienist or a specialist, what happens if you wait and what treatment would cost.

Explore your options

Quick links

Not sure where to start? Use these quick links to explore orthodontic treatments, typical costs, and helpful guides that explain what different options involve. Whether you're researching braces or clear aligners, comparing pricing, or just getting a feel for what comes next, you can browse at your own pace and come back when you're ready to request a quote.

Explore

[Get Quote](https://virtualconsultant.online/evaluations/quote)

[Costs](https://virtualconsultant.online/costs)

[Browse Treatments](https://virtualconsultant.online/treatments)

[Teeth Straightening](https://virtualconsultant.online/treatments/teeth-straightening)

[Browse Problems](https://virtualconsultant.online/problems)

[Locations](https://virtualconsultant.online/locations)

[Near Me](https://virtualconsultant.online/locations/orthodontic-treatment-near-me)

[NHS Eligibility Checker](https://virtualconsultant.online/about/do-i-qualify-for-nhs-treatment)

[IOTN Score Checker](https://virtualconsultant.online/about/iotn-score-checker)

[How To Take Orthodontic Photos](https://virtualconsultant.online/about/process/how-to-take-orthodontic-photos)

[Online Orthodontist](https://virtualconsultant.online/guides/online-orthodontist-uk)

[Research Papers](https://virtualconsultant.online/research)

[Social Channels](https://virtualconsultant.online/social)

## Ready for a personalised answer?

Upload guided photos and get a tailored recommendation for your teeth and bite.

[Start Photo Assessment](https://virtualconsultant.online/evaluations/quote) [Find an Orthodontist](https://virtualconsultant.online/locations)

Citation details

Title Top 10 Dental Check-Up Terms Explained (UK)

Publisher Virtual Consultant Online

Published 2026-10-17

Updated 2026-10-17

URL [https://staging.virtualconsultant.online/guides/top-10-dental-chart-terms-explained-uk](https://staging.virtualconsultant.online/guides/top-10-dental-chart-terms-explained-uk)