Teeth cleanings performed by dental hygienists is a minor procedure lasting 30 to 60 minutes to ensure your teeth and gums are healthy. You could be fearful about going for cleaning or even avoid the process altogether because of dental anxiety. However, if you do, you are inviting a set of problems that can negatively affect your oral and overall health.
Understanding what you can expect when undergoing a teeth cleaning process can help you ease your stress and leave you with minty fresh results you can enjoy. The teeth cleaning process is not intensive and only recommended by dentists to keep your teeth and gums in prime condition. Let us look at the procedure to ease your fears about teeth cleaning and schedule your appointment with the dentist in spring without delays.
The Teeth Cleaning Procedure
Teeth cleaning procedures can vary between every dental office, but hygienists follow a routine recommended by the dental practice.
The hygienist begins the process of forming a physical exam of your entire amount before starting the cleaning. Hygienists perform most dental cleanings using a concave mirror to look into your mouth for signs of oral problems like inflamed gums, plaque, and tartar or dark spots on the teeth. The examination helps the dentist to determine what to focus on during the cleaning. If the hygienist observes any severe issues such as cavities or gum disease, the dentist in Richmond is informed to perform a more thorough examination.
Plaque and Tartar Removal
The hygienist uses small tools called scalars to remove plaque and tartar from the surfaces of your teeth, near your gum line and between the teeth. An ultrasonic scaler or a manual tool may be used depending on how much buildup is present.
You will hear scraping sounds in your mouth, which is quite familiar because the hygienist must work diligently to remove all the tartar in your mouth. Brushing and flossing can stop the buildup of plaque and prevent it from hardening into tartar. However, after plaque hardens, it can only be removed by professional teeth cleaning in Richmond, TX.
Flossing And Polishing
After your teeth are free from tartar, the hygienist uses a high-powered electric toothbrush with a rubber prophy cup attached and a gritty toothpaste known as prophylaxis paste to brush your teeth. The cleaning may sound scary, but it is a great way to remove any tartar left behind by the scaler.
During professional teeth cleaning in spring, TX, toothpaste that smells and tastes like the regular variety is used, and you also have the option of choosing flavors. However, the toothpaste has a gritty consistency to scrub your teeth gently. When it is used by a professional, it is deemed safe for use twice a year. Do not consider using the toothpaste at home to avoid visiting teeth cleaning in spring because it can wear down your enamel.
The hygienist performing teeth cleaning in spring also gives you an expert flossing demonstration getting deep between your teeth and locating any potential trouble spots where bleeding may occur. The demonstration may appear pointless if you are flossing your teeth regularly at home, but a professional flossing demonstration removes any leftover plaque or toothpaste from the cleaning process.
The dental hygienist will have you rinse your mouth to get rid of any debris.
Fluoride Treatment
Teeth cleaning in Richmond also provides you a fluoride treatment as a last process of the cleaning. The therapy is used as protection for your teeth in its battle against cavities for several months. Here again, the hygienist will give you a choice of flavors before applying a sticky paste or foamy gel to your teeth for about a minute. Fluoride hardens when it comes into contact with saliva, leaving you free to eat and drink immediately after.
Dentists everywhere schedule cleanings twice a year and take x-rays at least once. However, depending on what the dentist or hygienist observes in your mouth, additional exams are performed during a visit. Children are recommended dental sealants on their molars to prevent cavities in the difficult to brush areas.
Whether you need additional exams or not, it is essential for you to continue visiting the dentist every six months to prevent problems altogether. It is a preventive measure that must be adopted without failure.