What to Expect During a Teeth Cleaning
Our Canton, MI, dentists recommend scheduling a professional teeth cleaning every 6 months to maintain optimal oral health. During your visit, we will thoroughly examine your teeth and gums, and if necessary, take updated X-rays to check for any hidden issues. Our aim is to complement oral care being done at home and help address areas that require more specialized tools.
The cleaning itself focuses on —key culprits behind many common dental problems. By doing so, we help prevent cavities, gum disease, and other complications.
To help you mentally prepare, here’s a closer look at the different stages of a teeth cleaning appointment.
Initial Examination
Every teeth cleaning will begin with an oral examination of your entire mouth. Our hygienists will visually check your teeth and gums for or other potential concerns. During this stage, a quick and painless oral cancer screening for suspicious lumps or bumps may also occur. If we detect any serious issues, we’ll flag down one of our dentists for further instruction. Otherwise, it’s on to the next step!
Dental X-Rays
Digital dental X-rays offer a detailed look at your teeth, jaw, soft tissues, and surrounding structures. Essentially, they allow for a thorough inspection of what’s happening beneath the gum line or skin and isn’t immediately apparent to the naked eye. In fact, they can help reveal:
- Cavities between teeth or under fillings
- The condition of the bone surrounding each tooth
- Jaw alignment and subsequent bite issues
- Impacted wisdom teeth or other teeth that haven’t erupted properly (may result in pain or potential infection)
- Abnormal growths like cysts and tumors in the mouth or jaw
- Tooth and jaw development problems
If it’s been awhile since your last X-rays, we may need to take new ones to determine if there have been any changes to your teeth, jawbone, and other oral structures. For example, patients who wear dentures may experience bone loss in the jaw over time.
There are different , the most common being bitewings. Bitewing X-rays show your teeth above the gum line and the height of the bone between teeth. This allows us to detect gum disease and as mentioned above, cavities that occur between teeth.
Plaque and Tartar Removal
Your hygienist will use a dental tool called a scaler to gently scrape away plaque and tartar from your teeth. Plaque is an invisible film of bacteria that sticks to your teeth and gums. After you eat, the bacteria eat any leftover sugar and produce an acid that erodes enamel and attacks your gums. If left untreated, plaque will harden into tartar and cause issues like cavities and gum disease.
Read More → When a Tooth Must Go: Key Indicators for Extraction
You can remove plaque at home by brushing and flossing every day, but only a dental professional will be able to remove tartar. That’s why it’s essential that you get a teeth cleaning inside our Canton dental office at least twice a year or as directed by our dentists.
Teeth Polishing
With all tartar gone, our hygienists will move onto the polishing stage. A high-powered electric brush coated in gritty toothpaste is used to deep clean and remove any left behind tartar. The gritty consistency helps to gently scrub your teeth and is safe when used by a professional.
We offer a variety of tooth polish flavors, such as mint, for you to choose from. Once you make your selection, our hygienist will use the brush to polish up your teeth. You’ll periodically rinse with water throughout this part of the cleaning to clear out the gritty paste.
Flossing
After you rinse, our hygienist will floss between your teeth. This is an important step to remove any bacteria that’s still hiding in your mouth. It also gives the hygienist a chance to see if you have bleeding gums—a common sign of gingivitis.
Examination By a Dentist
Once the teeth cleaning is done, one of our dentists will be with you shortly. They’ll examine the inside of your mouth and any X-rays we may have taken during your appointment. If we detect any issues, we’ll diagnose the condition and recommend an appropriate course of treatment to restore your oral health.
Our dentists can also counsel you on the best way to practice oral hygiene at home so you can maintain a healthy smile between appointments. We are more than happy to answer any questions you may have, so feel free to pick our brains for information! After that, you’ll be all set and can move forward with scheduling your next appointment with us, which is typically 6 months out.
Request an Appointment With Us
Our , are dedicated to helping you maintain a healthy smile for life. As such, they offer teeth cleanings, dental exams, and other preventive dental services. To schedule an appointment, call Hometown Dental at (734) 667-4941. You may also fill out our online contact form.
This blog post has been updated.