The Importance of Dental Cleanings
What are the different types of dental cleanings?
There are a couple of types of dental cleanings depending on the patient.
One is a prophy. A prophy is for patients we see twice a year, every six months. They have fairly healthy gums and keep up with their brushing and flossing, so we don't have to see them as much.
Then we have patients that we see more regularly, like on a three to four-month basis, and that is perio maintenance. Usually, that patient has had a deep cleaning before, and we need to see them more often to ensure that any diseases, like gingivitis or periodontitis, don't progress. We're there to help them maintain a healthy mouth.
There's also the deep cleanings, which I mentioned. That's when a patient hasn't had a cleaning in a while or they have a lot of buildup under their gums. We go in and clean that out. That's usually when we get them numb. After that, they move on to periodontal maintenance to help maintain their healthy gums.
What is the importance of dental cleanings?
Dental cleanings are important because our mouth is the window to our body. It's a part of total body health. We get a lot of signs of diseases and such from the mouth. We want to make sure that the mouth is healthy because what's in our mouth travels through the rest of our body. It's an important place to start.
How often should I have a dental cleaning?
We recommend that a patient comes in at least every six months for a cleaning. As I mentioned, there are different types of cleaning, so when you come in, we will assess what you need. Whether it's six months, we may ask to see you more regularly, such as every four months or even three months, to ensure that we're keeping your mouth healthy and no diseases are progressing.
Are dental cleanings painful?
I get asked a lot if dental cleanings are painful, and I don't think that they are. We do our best to make sure that the patient is comfortable. People have different tolerance levels, but there are things we can do to help ease them and make it more comfortable. We can use numbing gels or injections so that you're numb, but they should not be painful, and patients usually leave happy.
How long should a typical dental cleaning take?
A typical dental cleaning should take about an hour. Patients are usually out within an hour.
What happens during a dental cleaning?
During a dental cleaning, we review medical history, take blood pressure, check your gums, and measure the pockets that your teeth sit in, which is important for your gum health. Then we move on to the cleaning.
We also do X-rays, and if you're due for an exam, we perform that as well. We provide oral health instructions, going over brushing, flossing, and any questions a patient may have. We also offer fluoride treatments, which are really important and helpful for a lot of patients.
Are dental hygienists able to remove all the tartar on teeth?
When patients come in and we take X-rays, we can see tartar buildup below the gum line or superficial buildup or tartar, or calculus, above the gum line. It is our goal to remove that buildup, which we do. When people have tartar or buildup, it's important for us as hygienists to remove that. We have special tools that we use to remove the buildup so that the gums are healthy and the teeth have a healthy foundation before we move forward with any treatment.
Can dental cleanings damage teeth?
I'm often asked if dental cleanings can damage teeth with the sounds and scraping of our instruments during cleanings. Patients frequently ask if we're removing their enamel, and we're not. Dental cleanings are completely safe. Enamel is the strongest substance in the body, and our dental tools cannot damage enamel. Dental cleanings with the tools we use are extremely safe.
How do I treat sensitive teeth?
For people who have sensitivity, we recommend toothpaste. Many people say they get sensitivity after a dental cleaning or even during a dental cleaning. I recommend fluoride for that. Products with fluoride will help with dental sensitivity. Fluoride helps close the pores in the enamel so those sensations won't occur.
How can I schedule a dental cleaning?
If you need to schedule a dental cleaning, you can call [pracitce:name], and we will get you scheduled as soon as possible.
If you’re ready to schedule an exam or would like to learn more about our services, we’d love to hear from you. Call us at (209) 474-8888 or email [email protected]. We look forward to caring for your smile.