What Happens During a Teeth Cleaning Session?

Teeth cleaning is an oral hygiene application completed by a dental hygienist to remove plaque and calculus from teeth in an effort to prevent tooth decay and periodontal disease (Bone loss).

While regular brushing and flossing contributes to oral health, professional teeth cleaning removes plaque and tartar from hard-to-reach places, such as below the gum line, that may not be accessible by routine cleaning at home.

At Bearspaw Dental Clinic, we provide teeth cleaning services to keep your teeth, gums and bone levels healthy to protect your beautiful smile!

Why Do I Need My Teeth Cleaned?

Professional teeth cleaning is performed by a certified dental hygienist. Cleaning your teeth involves removing plaque and calculus from your teeth in an effort to prevent tooth decay and periodontal disease (bone loss).

While regular brushing and flossing at home contributes to your oral health, professional teeth cleaning removes plaque and tartar from hard-to-reach places, such as below the gum line.

At Bearspaw Dental Clinic, we provide professional teeth cleaning services to keep your teeth, gums and bone levels healthy to protect your beautiful smile!

Our Teeth Cleaning Process

A professional teeth cleaning is performed by a certified dental hygienist. At the start of the cleaning, the dental hygienist will physically assess your mouth, teeth and gums using a small mirror and a probing instrument. The plaque and tartar build up around your teeth, gum line and below your gum line is then removed with scaling instruments. An ultrasonic scaler, which uses water and ultrasonic vibration may be used for heavier and harder build up.

Once all the plaque and tartar buildup has been removed, your teeth will be polished with an electric polisher and gritty polish paste. Your dental hygienist will then floss all your teeth to ensure that all plaque has been removed. Any trouble spots found will need to be touched up. Finally, you will be given fluoride treatment (either a rinse or varnish application) for your teeth to promote healthy tooth enamel and prevent tooth decay.

Physical examination of the mouth

The first step is a physical examination of the mouth, where a dental hygienist will use a small mirror to inspect your teeth and gums.

Remove plaque and tartar

Next, a scaler is used to remove plaque and tartar around your gum line and in between teeth. You can expect to hear scraping, which is a normal part of the process. An ultrasonic scaler, which uses water and ultrasonic vibration, may be used.

Teeth Polish

Once your teeth are free of plaque and tartar buildup, you will receive a polish with an electric polisher and gritty polish paste, as the dental hygienist must clean each tooth individually.

Flossing

The next step involves flossing by your dental hygienist to locate trouble spots between your teeth and remove leftover plaque and polish paste from earlier dental cleaning activities.

Rinse your mouth

Then you will be asked to rinse your mouth to remove debris, as well as complete fluoride treatment by swishing liquid fluoride for one minute to promote healthy tooth enamel and combat harmful bacteria. Sometimes, instead of a fluoride rinse, a fluoride varnish may be painted on your teeth with a small brush to help prevent cavities for several months.

Risks & Complications

There are minimal risks and complications associated with teeth cleaning. You may experience sensitive teeth and swollen gums after a professional cleaning. This sensitivity may last a few days, up to a few weeks, depending on the level of buildup on your teeth. In rare cases with preexisting bone loss, teeth could loosen or sustain damage.

On average, teeth cleaning is recommended every six months to ensure healthy teeth and gums. Contact Bearspaw Dental Clinic for more information and to book your appointment.

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