Getting a Thorough Cleaning at Your Dental Checkup

Seeing your dentist for a dental checkup means having a complete oral exam and professional cleaning. Your dentist may also provide tips on how to floss or brush properly. This dental visit aims to help keep your teeth and gums in top shape. Knowing what to expect can help you prepare for it. If you want to know what happens with your thorough cleaning during your dental checkup, here are the details.

The physical exam

This is an inspection of the oral cavity. The teeth, gums, and soft tissues of the mouth will go through thorough checking. Examining these parts of the mouth helps spot any lesions, cavities, staining, or mobility. It also gives the dentist a map of what areas to focus on during cleaning and treatment during the dental checkup.

The dentist will use specific dental tools to reveal the corners and sides of each tooth. This will help detect any abnormalities. Then, the dentist may use gloved fingers to check each tooth’s mobility. This will also help check the tenderness of the tooth roots.

Plaque and tartar removal

This process is important in preventing cavities and gum disease. Here, the dentist will use a small mirror and scaler to scrape off plaque and even dental calculus along the gumline. The patient will hear a scraping sound, but this is not painful at all. Teeth that have more tartar will have longer scraping. A dental checkup can remove all the visible tartar. Regular brushing and flossing cannot remove it.

Brushing using gritty toothpaste

The dentist will use a high-power electric toothbrush to clean the teeth. This will give off a grinding sound but will not hurt at all. This is a deep cleaning method. It can remove leftover tartar and plaque.

Gritty toothpaste is healthy to use twice each year. Hard brushing must not be a habit at home. This could erode the enamel. A soft-bristled toothbrush is enough for daily brushing.

Professional flossing

Flossing at home often leaves many particles behind. Brushing can remove most of the leftover particles. The dentist can floss teeth thoroughly. Trouble areas can have the right level of cleaning from professional flossing as well. The dentist can remove leftover plaque and tartar with this method during the dental checkup.

Repetitive rinsing

This is an important process in teeth cleaning. Rinsing with water flushes out any debris left in the mouth. It also removes leftover gritty toothpaste during the dental checkup. Using fluoride mouthwash leaves a fresh taste and a protective layer on the oral tissues as well.

Fluoride treatment

The dentist will perform this treatment after a thorough dental cleaning is done. Fluoride is a naturally-occurring substance. It can protect the teeth from decay for many months. The dentist might ask the patient to choose a flavor.

Then, the foamy substance will go into a tray. The patient will wear the tray to leave the fluoride foam on the teeth for a minute. Then, the dentist will paint some fluoride varnish on the patient’s teeth using a tiny brush. The varnish will harden once saliva touches it. The patient can eat and drink right after the dental checkup.

Facts about thorough dental cleanings

Having a dental checkup and cleaning like this two times a year is an ideal practice for most people. Some patients need more frequent professional cleaning. It depends on what the dentist sees in the patient’s mouth. Other exams may go with the professional cleaning as well. Dentists often recommend dental sealants for children. This will prevent cavities in the back teeth.

Important dental tools for thorough dental cleaning

Dentists use mirrors during any dental checkup. This is an important tool in examining different surfaces inside the oral cavity. It can see behind teeth and even at the back of the mouth. Dental mirrors can even reflect the overhead light to see inside.

A manual scaler is an efficient cleaning tool for removing plaque and dental calculus. Most dentists use ultrasonic scalers. This tool uses a water spray to rinse the mouth and cool the tip. Polishers enable the gum tissue to stick to the dental surface better. This instrument also makes it difficult for bacteria and food particles to stay on teeth.

A dental checkup can keep your mouth healthy through its professional cleaning treatment

Having a dental visit means going through a thorough mouth inspection first. Then, the dentist will perform a complete dental cleaning. A routine dental checkup can keep this treatment consistent. This can help prevent serious dental issues from surfacing.

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