Routine Cleanings

General guidelines state that patients should make an appointment for a professional dental cleaning every six months. While this is ideal for most people, some will need to come in every three months and others will only need to come in every nine or 12 months. However, most people dread dental cleanings. Between the prodding, strange noises, and occasional jaw discomfort, it’s easy to understand their aversion. But for most, a teeth cleaning is simple and painless.

Most cleanings are performed by a dental hygienist. Before the cleaning begins, the hygienist will examine your mouth for any cavities or abnormalities. If the hygienist detects major problems they may call the dentist in to determine if they should proceed. Then, the hygienist will begin to get rid of plaque and tartar along the patients’ gumline, as well as between their teeth. The more tartar there is the more they will have to scrape unfortunately. Patients that brush & floss their teeth adequately will not feel as much discomfort during this process compared to those who do not brush & floss their teeth often.

After the teeth are tartar free the hygienist will begin to brush the teeth with a high power brush with a gritty toothpaste which scrubs down your teeth. This process can be quite uncomfortable for a few due to the texture of the paste as well as the vibration it creates. Next, perhaps the most uncomfortable part for me personally, the dental hygienist moves into flossing the patients teeth. This might seem pointless if you floss at home, but having a professional floss your teeth also removes any leftover plaque or toothpaste from earlier in the cleaning process.

Finally, your cleaning is finished off with a fluoride treatment. It’s usually left on your teeth for one minute. Besides the foamy gel, fluoride varnish is also painted onto the teeth with a small brush. Fluoride varnish will harden when in contact with saliva, so patients can eat and drink immediately after.

Professional teeth cleanings are scheduled twice a year, while X-rays are normally done once a year. Still, depending on what the dentist or dental hygienist observes in a patient’s mouth, they might do other exams during the visit. For children, a dentist may recommend molar sealants to help prevent cavities in hard-to-brush areas.