Everything Your Dentist Does During a Dental Cleaning Posted on 3/25/2018 by Sundberg Office For most people, they only visit the office twice a year. But if you are at high risk for gum disease or periodontal disease, we recommend that you come in to the office once every 2-3 months. The normal routine visit will consist of a cleaning, an exam and we might need to take X-ray of your teeth. We would also need to check your health history, if you have any past dental issues, allergies, what types of medication are you currently taking, and chronic diseases. In this article we are going to be discussing what all we will do when you come into the office for a dental cleaning.
When We Start Cleaning Your Teeth
During the procedure, we will use a small metal blade like instrument to clean off the built-up tartar and plaque above and below your gum line. Depending on how severe the tartar is stuck on your teeth, we may need to use a vibrating device to make the plaque loose and then we will use a stream of water to rinse the plaque and tartar from your mouth. The next step we will do is after all the plaque and tartar is off your teeth we will begin to polish your teeth with a pasty like material. After that we will then finish by flossing in between each of your teeth. After we clean your teeth we will examine your teeth for any signs of tooth decay. We will do this by using a metal probe and a small mirror. We will check to see if you have any swelling in your gums, if your gums are red and we will measure the depth of the gingival pockets. If you have any of these signs, then you could have gum disease. We will then test how your upper and lower jaw come together and check for any signs of grinding. We will also look at your neck and your lymph glands and the soft tissues of your mouth for any signs of infection or oral cancer. If you have any questions or concerns, please give us a call or stop by the office.
