What Happens During a Dental Cleaning?
Routine dental cleanings are an essential part of proper oral hygiene. You should aim to book a dental cleaning every six months to make sure your teeth and gums are healthy, and that your smile is bright white and sparkling.
Though some people dread their bi-annual dental cleaning, at Peak Dental, we try to make the process as quick and comfortable as possible!
What happens during a dental cleaning?
Physical exam: Once you’re seated comfortably in the chair, we’ll ask you how your teeth and gums have been feeling. Then using a small mirror, we’ll physically check to see if there are any obvious signs of trouble. This could be tooth or gum sensitivity, inflammation, discolouration — even foul odours.
Plaque and tartar removal: Also called ‘teeth scaling’, we’ll scrape away any plaque and tartar build-up between your teeth and around the gumline with a scaler. You’ll hear the sound of scraping, but this is totally normal. If your teeth have a particularly large build-up, we’ll gently remind you to brush and floss more often to help avoid that excess plaque and tartar.
Tooth polishing: We’re close to complete! Using a high-powered brush and gritty toothpaste, we’ll polish the surface of your teeth to a glossy, gleaming shine. This step also helps to buff away any tartar that may have been left behind by the scaling procedure. Polishing your teeth will also help to get rid of any surface-staining on your teeth, keeping your smile healthy and white!
Fluoride application: This is the fun part. We apply a special fluoride solution to your teeth. We’ll ask you what flavour you prefer, be it classic mint or mixed berry (or whatever else we have at that season!) — squeeze it into a mouth tray, then place the tray in your mouth for a number of seconds. This fluoride solution will help to strengthen your teeth.
Flossing: You don’t get this kind of deep-flossing at home. To make sure your teeth are completely free of debris, we’ll floss deeply in-between every single tooth. If your gums bleed, it’s likely a sign that you’re not flossing enough at home — so we will give you a reminder to floss daily.
Mouth-rinse: Lastly, we’ll give you a bit of mouthwash to gargle and rinse away any last bit of debris. This will also leave you with fresh breath and a squeaky-clean mouth!
*If there are any other concerns, we may take dental x-rays for a closer look, or book you in for a secondary procedure, such as a filling or a root canal.
Peak oral health through cleaner teeth and gums
As much as we’d like our patients to feel like they’re heading to the spa for an hour, we understand that teeth cleanings can cause some angst — especially if you’re not used to it.
At Peak Dental, we truly care about every patient and want them to feel at ease through every procedure. With our experience serving Lethbridge and the area, you can have full confidence in our abilities to give you a happier, healthier smile through peak oral health.