Dental Cleanings

Everyone has heard that they should go to their dentist regularly, but some people aren’t sure what it means. When most people hear it in Albuquerque, they think about dental cleanings.

It’s essential to have your teeth professionally cleaned twice a year. At Ivory Dental, we provide this service. In fact, it’s the most common reason for people to come to our office, and we enjoy seeing them and cleaning their teeth.

With a dental cleaning, you can ensure that your mouth is as healthy as possible!

Most people have had a dental cleaning before, so they know what they are. However, it might have been a while since your last trip to the dentist. Therefore, it’s a good idea to brush up on what it entails.

Plus, you might be bringing your child to their first visit, and it helps to understand this procedure and why it’s needed.

What Is the Dental Cleaning Procedure (Overview)?

Most dentists have a tried and true method of doing the dental cleaning procedure. In fact, it’s probably similar in every dental office around the nation. However, it’s a good idea to understand what it entails, especially if you’re explaining it to your child before their first visit.

It can also be good to know for your reference, especially if it’s been a while since your last cleaning. Though you probably didn’t forget it, you might find it nice to go over the process again. That way, you can feel confident that there’s nothing to fear or worry about during this session.

There’s no reason to dread a dental cleaning. While you might hear a strange noise or feel the pressure of the scraping tool, it’s a simple and painless process.

If you’re still a bit unsure, please read about the procedure in its entirety so that you are more comfortable with a dental cleaning:

How Is the Physical Mouth Exam Completed?

Usually, the dental hygienist is the one who does the cleaning of your teeth. However, the dentist is available if you have questions or problems. With that, you do get a chance to talk to the dentist at the end of the treatment. If you’ve got questions, hold them until then if you can!

Before we can clean your teeth, we do a physical exam of your mouth. We often ask you to open as wide as you can, which we know is a bit uncomfortable. However, there’s no pain here, and we just look at your teeth from all angles, using a small mirror as a guide.

We move it around inside your mouth to check your teeth for decay and the gums for inflammation called gingivitis. Usually, we don’t find anything too severe and can move on. However, we might call the dentist to determine what to do next if there is a concern.

Do You Remove Plaque and Tartar During the Cleaning?

Yes, we always remove tartar and plaque during your cleaning. The dental hygienist continues using the mirror and a scaler to scrape away the buildup between your teeth and around the gum line. You’re sure to hear scraping, but this doesn’t hurt and is normal.

If it’s been a long time since your last teeth cleaning, there’s sure to be more buildup. It might feel like we’re pulling on your teeth, which can be uncomfortable. Please let us know if you’re skittish. We can help you relax and be gentler where possible.

How Does the Gritty Toothpaste Work and Why?

Once we’ve thoroughly scraped the plaque and tartar away from the teeth, we brush them with a special high-powered toothbrush. You’re likely to hear a buzzing sound, and it can even sound like grinding while it’s in your mouth. Though scary, it deeply cleans your teeth and doesn’t hurt.

Professional cleanings use a special toothpaste, but it’s designed to smell and taste like what you use in your home. The mint flavor is the most popular, but you can request a different one if you like.

Just remember that there is a gritty consistency, making it slightly abrasive. That removes the rest of the plaque from your teeth, scrubbing them well. However, it is harsher than regular toothpaste, so we don’t recommend professional cleanings more than two times a year.

Why Do You Floss My Teeth Afterward?

We always recommend that our patients floss every day, but we realize that many people don’t. While it’s an excellent idea, we don’t hound or badger you to do it. With that, we don’t judge you for not flossing.

However, flossing is a big part of our professional dental cleanings. We take it seriously, and you shouldn’t skip this step.

The hygienist goes in deep between your teeth with floss, which is just like you use at home. That way, we know that the cleaning was effective and done properly. Sometimes, your gums bleed a little during this process, especially if you don’t floss every day at home. This is normal, and it just tells us that you’re not prone to flossing.

If you do floss at home, you might wonder why we floss your teeth during the cleaning. Typically, a professional flossing ensures that we’ve removed all of the plaque and toothpaste.

Finishing Up the Treatment

Once we’re done flossing, we let you rinse your mouth with clean water. Suction is often used to keep your mouth dry during the process. However, you don’t want to taste the plaque and gritty toothpaste all day. You can take as long as you need here.

Sometimes, we also recommend a fluoride treatment. You’ve got the right to decline it, but it can protect teeth from decay. You can pick the flavor you want, and it’s often in the form of a sticky paste or foam gel. We squeeze it into the mouthpiece and ask you to bite down gently for a minute.

Typically, the dentist comes in and does a once-over of your teeth. Also, before the examination, we might request an X-ray, though this might not happen every time.

Trust Ivory Dental with Your Next Dental Cleaning

For many people, a dental cleaning comes with a bit of fear. This often has more to do with the feelings than the cost of treatment. However, you don’t need to be scared at Ivory Dental! We care about your smile and all of our Albuquerque residents. Therefore, we ensure that you’re comfortable while you’re here.

However, if you are nervous, just let us know at the beginning of the appointment. We do our best to relax you and can play music or talk to you soothingly throughout the treatment.

We understand that some people just dislike dentists. That’s no reason to keep your smile from being healthy and beautiful. Our only goal is to keep your teeth healthy and strong, and preventative dentistry, such as cleanings, is the best way to do that! Call today for your appointment!