Dental cleanings are so important for your overall dental health. Even if you practice perfect dental hygiene at home, there will always be a bit of residue left within your teeth. Dental cleanings are a great opportunity to remove such said residue so that it does not create further issues down the line.
Some people can be intimidated by the different tools and noises that are used during their dental cleanings. The truth is that there is nothing to fear! All the tools our team uses for dental cleanings are painless and will leave your teeth feeling brand new. One of the things that have helped our patients relax during their cleaning appointments is to understand the different steps the procedure entails. Our team thought it was a good idea to share those steps with you today!
Dental Exam
Prior to the cleaning, our hygienist will perform a dental exam for you. This is a simple but very important step. The hygienist will use a mirror to check all your teeth for signs of cavities and gum diseases. You can also expect to have your entire mouth, face, and neck checked to ensure that there are no signs of other issues. We might choose to opt for x-rays to get more in-depth views of your teeth if we have not done so in a while.
Plaque and Tartar Removal
Continuing with the small mirror, the dental hygienist will begin to clean your teeth with a scaler. This is very effective at removing the tartar around your gum lines and between your teeth. At this point, you will hear some scraping noises which are absolutely normal. The timing for this step varies from person to person depending on how much tartar there is between the teeth and gum lines.
If you are an avid brusher and flosser, you might require less time for the step. Brushing and flossing are great preventative measures for plaque build-up. However, once the plaque has hardened into tartar, it can only be removed by a professional with the right tools.
Toothpaste Cleaning
Now that the scraping noises have subsided and your mouth feels lighter, we move onto the brushing step. Our hygienist will use a high powered electric brush which creates a grinding noise. This is not a painful step even if the noise is a little scary. This is, however, a very effective way to deep clean your teeth and remove any tartar that the scaler left behind.
The toothpaste used for your dental cleaning has a gritty consistency that helps to gently scrub your teeth. This will polish your teeth and leave them looking fresh.
Professional Flossing
Even if you floss daily at home, you will find the professional flossing to be quite relieving. The dental hygienist has the ability to get deep between your teeth. They are also able to locate areas that are not accessible for you to see from a mirror. The majority of our patients find relief in this step as gunk gets removed from spaces that they were not able to reach at home.
Rinsing
The easiest step! You will simply rinse your mouth and remove any leftover debris from the cleaning.
Fluoride Treatment
Unless our team found some unforeseen problems during the dental exam, the fluoride treatment is the last step of the dental cleaning procedure! This step includes a foamy gel and a mouthpiece. You will notice that the hygienist will fill the mouthpiece with such said gel and then fit it over your teeth. This will sit in your mouth for about a minute. Fluoride treatments are well-known to help protect the teeth and fight cavities.
The dental cleaning procedure is pain-free and can prevent many issues later on. We recommend that you have a dental cleaning every 6 months. If you are due for yours, please contact our team to set up your appointment. We are here to help keep your smile healthy!
We would love to invite you to book an appointment at our clinic so that we can assess your own unique situation. Alternatively, feel free to submit a photo of your teeth to get a detailed quote before you come in! Our team would love to help you gain your confidence back through your smile!
