Do Dental Cleanings Hurt?

Knowing exactly what goes on during dental cleanings in Hopedale, IL, might help you relax and appreciate the minty-fresh results even more.

Many people dread tooth cleanings. It's easy to understand their trepidation given the poking, unusual noises, and occasional jaw soreness. Luckily, teeth cleanings are mostly painless and straightforward for the vast majority of individuals.

What Happens During a Dental Cleaning Session?

Physical Examination

Cleaning your teeth is usually done by a dental hygienist. Before commencing the cleaning process, they undertake a physical evaluation of your whole mouth.  

The dental hygienist checks your teeth and gums with a small mirror for signs of gingivitis (inflamed gums) or other disorders. If any oral health issues are discovered, these will need to be taken care of first.

Plaque and Tartar Removal

Guided by the small mirror, the dental hygienist uses a scaler to remove plaque and tartar from throughout your gums and in between your teeth.  

Scratching can be audible, but it's to be anticipated. It will take more time to scrape a specific location of your mouth if you have a lot of tartar.

Brushing and flossing are essential to keep plaque from developing and solidifying into tartar. Tartar may only be removed at your dentist's office once it has formed.  

The lesson is to brush and floss more regularly if this is your least preferred element of the dental process.

Cleaning Using a Grittier Toothpaste

The hygienist washes your teeth with a high-powered electric brush that generates a grinding noise when they are entirely tartar-free. While it may look intimidating, it is an excellent way to get a thorough cleaning and remove any tartar that the scaler may have left behind.

Professional cleanup uses toothpaste that smells and tastes like regular toothpaste, and you may go with a range of flavors. However, it has a gritty texture that gently cleans your teeth.

This tooth polishing is considered safe to undertake twice a year if done by an expert. At home, though, don't be as rough with your teeth because you'll wear down the enamel.

Flossing with Skill

Whenever you floss at home or not, nothing compares to a professional flossing session. Your dental hygienist can look deep between your teeth for any possible issue locations where your gums may bleed.

This may seem superfluous if you floss at home, but having a professional floss your teeth eliminates any residual plaque or toothpaste from the cleaning procedure.

Rinsing

After that, you rinse your mouth to remove any residue. Your dental hygienist will almost certainly recommend a liquid fluoride wash.

Treatment with Fluoride

A fluoride treatment is the final stage in the cleanup procedure. This treatment is applied to your teeth as a preventative measure to help you avoid cavities over several months.

Looking for the Best Office for Dental Cleanings in Hopedale, IL?

Other exams may be performed during your appointment, depending on what your dentist or dental hygienist notices in your mouth. Whether you need any further actions or not, the most important thing is to maintain visiting the dentist for regular dental cleanings to avoid issues in the first place.

Visit Smalltown Dental and get the best dental cleaning treatment for your teeth. Call us today!