What Happens During a Teeth Cleaning?

A deep teeth cleaning is an essential dental procedure that can help you improve and maintain excellent oral health. It also plays a significant role in removing plaque and preventing tooth loss, decay, gum disease, and other oral health problems. A teeth cleaning is a straightforward and painless procedure. Therefore, people should schedule teeth cleaning sessions with professional dental hygienists for routine cleanings without any fear of feeling anxious and discomfort. These experiences are mostly associated with people who don't know what happens during a teeth cleaning.

What happens during a teeth cleaning?

There are several things that you should expect if you visit a dental hygienist for a teeth cleaning session as explained below

1. Physical examination

The dental hygienist will first conduct a physical examination of your mouth using a small mirror. The main role of this examination is to check the condition of your teeth and find out whether there are signs of dental decay, inflamed gums, or cavities among other dental problems. In case of any dental problem, the hygienist will recommend you see a dentist before they continue with the process.

2. Dental X-rays

The next step is to undergo a dental x-ray. The main role of a dental x-ray is to detect dental problems that can't be visually examined including internal tooth decay and bone loss.

3. Plaque and tartar removal

This is also called dental scaling. The dental hygienist will use a small mirror and a dental scaler to remove plaque and tartar in between teeth and around gums. This process will take a shorter or longer time depending on the quantity of tartar one has. During plaque and tartar removal, you won't experience any pain or discomfort.

4. Deep toothpaste cleaning

After plaque and tartar removal, the next step involves gritty toothpaste cleaning. The dental hygienist will use a specialized electric brush and toothpaste to deeply clean your teeth and eliminate any plaque and tartar that might have been left during dental scaling.

5. Deep flossing between teeth

The dental hygienist will ask you to floss your teeth deeply to determine if there are any underlying dental problems such as bleeding gums. Flossing will also help eliminate toothpaste and plaque leftovers.

6. Mouth rinsing

The next step involves rinsing your mouth to eliminate all toothpaste, residue, and debris. You'll be provided with a rinse containing liquid fluoride.

7. Fluoride application

This is the last step of a teeth cleaning session. The dental hygienist will give a fluoride treatment that'll help you prevent cavities and other dental problems for some months.

In conclusion, this is what happens during teeth cleaning. The process can last for 30 minutes to an hour.