What Happens During a Teeth Cleaning before and after?
Even After years of dentist visits, teeth cleaning, you might not know what happens when you sit on the chair. You only know that a dental hygienist is there to clean your teeth and a senior dentist examines your mouth to check any sign of cavities and gingivitis. However, you know what happens during teeth cleaning before and after. Here we will explain the detailed process, which will satisfy your curiosity, and assist you in preparing for your future visits to the medical facility. Additionally, if you dread going to the dentist, having a clear understanding of the cleaning teeth process will help you to calm down.
What Happens During Teeth Cleaning?
Many people visit dental clinics and get to know the exact process of cleaning teeth and its benefits. Cleaning teeth helps in the prevention of oral problems and nip severe issues in the bud. For instance, an appointment after six months reduces the risk of gum diseases, plaque removal and tartar build-up. Moreover, two visits in a year for cleaning teeth prevents cavities from worsening. The expert dentist of Ontario London explains that every teeth cleaning dentist performs the process in its way. However, below is a general process of cleaning teeth that will give you an idea about how things work.
Examination
Your dentist will not recommend teeth cleaning straight away. First, he will examine your gums and teeth. The dentist uses a mirror to have a better look at all nooks and crannies. The purpose of the initial examination is to look for signs of inflammation, dark spots or cavities. Here many patients ask their dentist to check whether there is any issue in gums or teeth. In many cases, dental hygienists ask patients if they have any concerns and want to speak to their dentist. Therefore, if you visit for dental cleaning, you can ask your medical officer about your concerns.
X-Rays
The next stage of the teeth cleaning process requires taking a digital x-Ray of teeth and gum lines. It is a quick process, which helps the expert to find out indicators of the below problems.
- Bone loss
- Oral abnormalities
- Tooth decay
- Tumours and cysts
- Gum disease
- Movement of teeth
X-rays play a crucial role in determining the health of gums and teeth. Especially when a new patient visits, the dentist asks for a digital x-ray before moving forward on the next stage. In many health facilities, dental hygienists might use a Camera to access your mouth and examine your oral health. After examination, if the dentist finds any issue, he informs the patient, and it helps determine whether treatment will be covered by insurance.
Plaque and Tartar Removal
Your teeth-cleaning dentist will use a scaler to remove the plaque and tartar from your teeth and gums. Plaque is a bacterium that builds inside and around your gum line. Removal of bacteria is essential as it leads to gum diseases and cavities. If plaque is not removed on time, it hardens and turns into tartar. However, you can remove plaque and tartar before using a teeth whitening kit, but a professional removes it appropriately. During the tartar removal, the patent experiences scraping normal noises. The time for plaque removal depends on the amount of plaque available inside your mouth. Additionally, if you have gingivitis, your gum will bleed during tartar removal, and you might feel sore after the process.
Toothpaste Cleaning
Now, your medical officer will use a high-powered electric brush and toothpaste for deep cleaning. You will hear some grinding sounds but do not worry. It is a part of your cleaning process. In some states, a dental hygienist usually asks the patient about his favourite flavour of toothpaste. Then he will apply the toothpaste on the brush and clean your teeth thoroughly. The sound of the toothbrush might be louder, and you might be irritated. This gritty toothpaste will polish your teeth and offer you white and shiny teeth.
Professional Flossing
After applying the whitening toothpaste, the next step requires flossing. Yes, dental flossing, which you do frequently after cleaning your teeth. Your dentist will examine your mouth size for proper flossing. Many experts used to ask patients about flossing habits to advise you on the exact method of flossing. The purpose of flossing is to deep clean your teeth and remove plaque if there is any.
Fluoride Treatment
The dentist will perform fluoride treatment as it offers protection against cavities until your next visit for your next cleaning check-up. Your dental hygienist will insert a mouthpiece according to the size of your mouth. The dentist fills this mouthpiece with a fluoride gel. It stays in your mouth for 2 minutes, and then you have to rinse your mouth to get fluoride out.
The expert dentist of Ontario London indicates that using fluoride through the mouthpiece might lead to tooth decay. Because fluoride is available in water and ordinarily used toothpaste, therefore, excessive fluoride might cause oral health issues.
Final Inspection
After going through the above process, your medical officer will perform a final inspection to check everything is correct. Additionallythem, the dentist will evaluate your teeth and gum for diseases, grinding issues and teeth alignment. Usually, the dentist checks the teeth and gum in detail while taking x-rays, and if he finds anything, he refers the patient to the dentist. In some cases, dental hygienists examine the deep pockets to check the gum situation. Moreover, he will also check for any restorations or filling, such as dental crowns and bridges. You can also ask any question from your medical officer regarding your oral issues. He will address your issues on the spot and ensure that you are satisfied.
Teeth cleaning is a painless and straightforward process that helps you keep your teeth clean and stay away from oral diseases. Many experts indicate that individuals should conduct 2-3 visits in 12 months to seek professional oral care and avoid oral issues like gum diseases, cavities, gingivitis etc.
