Have you ever been to the dentist for a dental cleaning and wondered what exactly they are doing? You’re not alone. Each time we visit our local dentists, a comprehensive set of procedures occurs during a dental cleaning. From scraping plaque from your teeth with some specialized tools to polishing them up until they sparkle like never before – it may all feel like something of an enigma! In this blog post, we’ll be breaking down in detail everything that goes into a professional dental hygiene appointment so that you can go in well-informed about how your dentist cleans and maintains your oral health.
Know The Steps Involved In Professional Teeth Cleaning
The section below provides the steps performed during a professional teeth-cleaning session.
1. A physical examination
A dental hygienist is usually responsible for performing teeth cleaning sessions. They will start with a physical examination of your entire mouth before the actual process begins.
The dental hygienist uses a small mirror to check around your gums and teeth for any potential signs of gingivitis or other dental issues. If any major problem is detected, they might choose to call the dentist and make sure that it is okay to proceed.
2. Removal of plaque and tartar
The dental hygienist uses a scaler to remove plaque and tartar from between your teeth and around your gum line while using a small mirror for guidance. There will be some scraping, but that’s common. The time required for scraping a particular spot is directly dependent on the amount of tartar present in your mouth.
Flossing and brushing can help stop the plaque from building and also prevent it from hardening into tartar. Once the tartar is formed, it can only be removed at the dental office.
3. Gritty toothpaste cleaning
Once your teeth are completely free of tartar, the hygienist will brush them with a high-powered electric toothbrush, which makes a grinding noise. Although it may sound scary, it’s a great technique to deep clean and get rid of any tartar that the scaler left behind.
Professional cleaning sessions use a toothpaste that smells and tastes like your everyday toothpaste, though you can often choose between various flavors. However, because of its grittier texture, it softly scrubs your teeth. This process of polishing the teeth is considered to be safe if done twice a year under the supervision of a dental professional. But be very careful not to do this at home, as you can end up wearing down the enamel (the outermost layer of your teeth).
4. Expert flossing
Whether you floss at home regularly or not, nothing compares to a professional flossing session. Nothing compares to a professional flossing session, whether you floss at home frequently or not. Your dental hygienist can reach the spaces in between your teeth and find any potential trouble spots where your gums can bleed.
This might make flossing at home seem pointless. But, having a professional dental hygienist floss your teeth also removes any leftover plaque or toothpaste from earlier stages in the cleaning process.
5. Rinsing
Your dental hygienist will then give you a rinse containing liquid fluoride to eliminate any debris in your mouth.
6. Applying Flouride Treatment
Flouride treatment is the last step of the teeth-cleaning process. This acts as a protectant for your teeth to fight against cavities for several months to come. At first, the dentist might ask you about your flavor preference. They will then place the foamy gel into a mouthpiece that fits over your teeth. It is usually left on your teeth for one minute. Besides the foamy gel, fluoride varnish is also applied to the teeth with a small brush. The fluoride varnish hardens while coming in contact with the saliva, allowing you to drink and eat immediately after.
We hope you have now understood the major steps involved in professional teeth cleaning sessions. Following a proper oral hygiene routine at home is essential. But, it may not be enough to avoid critical dental problems. Visit a dental office near you after every six months to take proper care of your dental health. Book an appointment with Advanced Solutions Family Dental if you want top-quality teeth cleaning treatment in Oak Forest, IL.