Routine dental examinations and cleaning are a few of the most effective solutions to avoid periodontal diseases. However, individuals are quite afraid to undergo such a method considering it is a complicated and painful procedure. Despite this fact, this approach is essential and endorsed by specialists because of the benefits it holds. So, try to ease your fears by learning about the steps involved in routine dental cleaning.
Steps Involved in Dental Cleaning
Step 1: Examining the teeth and gums
Before the cleaning process starts, the dental practitioner’s assistant will ask you to fill-up a form to obtain your contact details. Then, the dental hygienist will initially examine your teeth and gums. This is done to determine the type of cleaning that needs to be done. On top of that, this can help them identify what and where to concentrate during the procedure. The hygienist will inspect your mouth for any specific signs of oral complications such as tatar and plaque buildup or inflamed gums using a compact concave mirror.
The hygiene therapy dentist will soon after record all of the findings. If they detect significant problems like periodontal disease, the dentist will be informed. When this happens, the dentist will conduct further assessments for a thorough evaluation. This is essential; hence, it should not be taken for granted. It can help them decide whether you can receive the treatment or go through a different one.
Step 2: Scaling of plaque and tartar
Right after the hygienist and dentist confidently affirm that you are safe to proceed through the declared procedure, the actual cleaning process will start. Initially, they will assist you towards the allocated treatment area. After that, you will be asked to settle yourself on the dental chair. The hygienist will place a clean cloth around your neck once you are comfortably laid down. This item will act as a vessel to catch falling solid and liquid contents from your mouth.
A hooked dental device called a scraper will be used for this step. Based on the plaque and tartar buildup severity, the dentist will choose whether to opt for a manual or ultrasonic scaler. A manual scaler functions like a scraping tool. While the latter is electricity-generated that can eliminate teeth scabs by generating gentle vibrations with water. Then, the dentist will remove the large calculus deposits around the teeth’ surface and gum line by using a mirror as a guide.
Step 3: Polishing and flossing with gritty toothpaste
Removing plaque and tartar accumulation is a comprehensive and extensive procedure; the overall time frame will be based on the extent of the contaminated areas. As the teeth scabs get eliminated, your mouth is well exposed to direct bacterial contamination. The removed calculus can stream through the throat, eventually harming other body parts, particularly the internal organs. However, there is a technique to prevent this from happening.
Obviously, the dentist would not permit this to come about; thus, stain removal through teeth brushing and flossing come next once the scraping is done. A portable electric tool will be attached to the rubber prophy cup. After that, it will be topped with a gritty toothpaste termed prophylaxis paste. The equipment operates as an automatic toothbrush, so patients are expected to experience a slow grinding motion around the teeth and gums. After thoroughly cleaning it, the dentist will execute the flossing technique to remove the remaining calculus and paste.
Step 4: Rinsing with water and applying fluoride
Typically, brushing your teeth can trigger the collection of bubbles on the mouth, which can gradually overflow. This liquid content holds everything cleared out during the cleaning procedure, from plaques and tartar to the paste, which can stream down to the throat. The dentist does not want this to happen, so they will ask you to spit it on the basin and rinse your mouth with clean water to remove this contaminated liquid.
Fluoride application will be next immediately after your mouth is well rinsed and devoid of bacterial scabs. Fluoride is a gel-like compound manufactured in differing flavors, so the dentist will allow you to select among the choices offered at the facility. This will then be applied inside a mouthpiece, and they will let you wear the apparatus for a maximum of one minute. When the time surpasses, settle the expense, and you are now good to go as soon as it is done.