Understanding Dental Hygiene and Why It's Important
Hi, I'm Joshua. I'm from Renew Dental and I'm here to answer a few questions I commonly get about your dental cleaning so you can get a better understanding of it.
What are the different types of dental cleanings?
Depending on the condition of your gums, if they are stable and healthy and you're practicing proper oral hygiene, then we may require just a routine cleaning. But if it's been a long time since your last cleaning and we notice there's active disease, then we may require a deeper cleaning.
What is the importance of dental cleanings?
While you're able to brush and floss at home, there are certain bacteria that are hard for you to remove at home and may require professional cleaning. When you do that every six months, we can maintain the health of your gums, reduce gum disease, and keep you healthy overall.
How often should I have a dental cleaning?
How often you should have a dental cleaning depends on your gum condition. Sometimes that could be 3 months, 4 months, or 6 months. It depends on the current health of your gums, if there are any deep pockets, or how well you perform your oral hygiene.
When it comes to dental exams and cleanings, I recommend, as a dental hygienist, you come back for your recommended recalls for hygiene and for dentist visits.
Is dental cleaning painful?
Most of the time, dental cleanings are not painful. However, when they are, we have options to help minimize the discomfort. People ask me if dental cleanings are painful. Most of the time they're not, but when they are, we can offer options to minimize the discomfort.
Typically, if you come regularly for your dental appointments, teeth cleanings shouldn't hurt. For the few times it does, we offer options to help minimize any discomfort.
Dental cleanings can sometimes be sensitive depending on your oral condition. However, there are measures we can take during your appointment, such as applying topical anesthetics or using freezing methods, to make you more comfortable.
A dental hygienist ensures that a dental cleaning isn't painful by taking an overall assessment of the patient's mouth. We always make sure that our patients are comfortable. If they aren't, there are procedures we can provide throughout the treatment, and we discuss these with the patient.
How long should a typical dental cleaning take?
In terms of how long a dental cleaning should take, typically if you come regularly, it should take only an hour. If it's been a long time, then there is catchup required, and it may take longer than an hour.
A dental cleaning usually takes an hour if you've been attending your regular dental appointments. If it's been a long time, like more than a year, it will take longer than an hour or may even require multiple appointments to catch up.
A dental hygiene appointment is based on your needs. It can run anywhere from 60 minutes to several appointments to complete your scaling.
What happens during a teeth cleaning?
What happens during a teeth cleaning is typically we do the scaling to remove the hard bacteria attached to the teeth, then we polish your teeth. The dentist also comes in to check the condition of your mouth, and we finish it off with fluoride to help mineralize and protect your teeth against cavities.
At a cleaning appointment, there are several steps we take to help with oral health. For example, we remove plaque and bacteria from on top of and underneath the gums. We also remove stains and then add a protective coating on the teeth, such as fluoride, to strengthen the enamel.
A dental hygienist's appointment consists of a polish, fluoride treatment, scaling, taking x-rays, and then the dentist performs an examination at the end.
Are dental hygienists able to remove all tartar during a dental cleaning?
If patients come for routine hygiene appointments, then most likely dental hygienists should be able to remove all tartar. However, if it's been a longer period of time, such as more than a year, we may require more than one appointment to clean everything.
Can dental cleanings damage the teeth?
Many people wonder if dental cleanings can damage the teeth. That is a common misconception. The enamel is very robust and strong, so it's not going to be damaged. What we are doing during a dental cleaning is removing the hard bacteria attached to the tooth, which helps keep your gums healthy.
How do I treat sensitive teeth after dental cleaning?
To treat sensitive teeth after dental cleaning, you can use sensitive toothpaste such as Sensodyne Rapid Relief or Colgate Pro Relief. If your gums are really tender and it's interfering with your day-to-day life, you can also rinse with warm salt water multiple times a day. If it's really uncomfortable afterwards, you can use Advil or Tylenol.
Teeth have the potential to be sensitive following a dental cleaning. At Renew Dental, we offer a saltwater rinse to mitigate pain, as well as Advil or Tylenol, as long as you aren't allergic to them.
Why do my teeth feel weird after cleaning?
Your teeth can feel weird or different after a dental cleaning because we're removing the bacteria or tartar on the teeth. Now they just feel cleaner and different.
Do gums heal after tartar removal by teeth cleaning?
Gums do heal after dental cleaning by removing the tartar and bacteria. Tartar and bacteria can cause inflammation, so by removing it, we allow the gums to heal.
How can I schedule a dental cleaning?
Scheduling a dental cleaning is very simple. You can call us, email us, or even walk in, and our friendly schedule coordinator will help you find a day that works best for you.
What is proper dental hygiene?
Good proper dental hygiene is having good oral hygiene habits at home. Brushing and flossing, along with attending your regular dental appointments every couple of months, as recommended, are essential.
Practicing proper dental hygiene involves having good oral hygiene habits at home, such as brushing and flossing, and also visiting your regular dental clinic every couple of months or as recommended to you.
What can happen if I don't practice good dental hygiene?
If we don't practice good oral hygiene, it can lead to gum disease and cavities, which would impact your overall health.
By not practicing good dental hygiene and not taking care of your overall health, it can lead to a state called gum disease. Gum disease can eventually lead to tooth loss, bone loss, and can also affect your overall lifespan, potentially shortening it.
What are the main duties of a dental hygienist?
The main duties of a dental hygienist involve playing a key preventative role for your oral health by performing specific procedures to prevent the progression of any diseases in the mouth. We aim to prevent the progression of diseases in the mouth by performing specific procedures that minimize bacteria, ensuring healthy teeth and gums.
We are also educators, providing evidence-based information customized to you to prevent gum diseases or tooth-related problems, emphasizing the importance and providing information to help your oral health. We are also educators who provide evidence-based information customized to you to prevent any progression of gum diseases or tooth-related problems.
What kind of tools do dental hygienists use?
The tools that dental hygienists use include handheld instruments specifically designed to remove hard bacteria attached to the tooth. We also use powered ultrasonic instruments for the same purpose. Additionally, we use polishers and measuring devices to assess your gums and teeth.
Deep cleaning versus routine cleaning, what's the difference?
The difference between a routine cleaning and a deep cleaning is that a routine cleaning is performed when a patient is consistent with their regular dental cleanings. A deep cleaning is needed when a patient hasn't had a cleaning in a very long time or there are areas in the mouth that require more attention.
Why is dental deep cleaning necessary?
A deep cleaning is necessary because it allows the hygienist to reach spots that a patient might not be able to reach with brushing and flossing. It removes bacteria that can cause problems such as bone loss.
A deep cleaning is necessary from a dental hygienist to prevent the progression of advanced gum disease, which could lead to tooth loss and systemic health issues.
How long can I go without a dental cleaning?
I often get asked how long one can go without a dental cleaning. The answer is you should go as often as your dental provider recommends for you to come in for a dental cleaning.
Does teeth cleaning include cavities?
A teeth cleaning does not treat cavities. The dental hygienist removes tartar and bacteria around the tooth and underneath the gums, but we do not treat the tooth for cavities.
How much does a dental cleaning cost?
The cost of a dental cleaning can vary depending on your oral health condition. If you're more regular at the dentist, it tends to cost less because we are preventing issues. However, if it's been a long time since your last cleaning or you need more dental care, it can cost a bit more.
How do I keep my teeth clean after teeth cleaning?
After teeth cleaning, you can maintain cleanliness at home by brushing twice a day and flossing regularly.
Good dental hygiene can be practiced at home by brushing twice per day and flossing once per night.
Why is good dental hygiene so important?
Practicing good dental hygiene allows us to maintain our teeth for as long as possible and maintain overall oral health.
Gabi, Dental Hygienist
What are the most important components of a good dental hygiene program?
The most important components of a good dental hygiene program require you to do your part at home, including brushing twice per day, flossing once per day, and coming in for your frequent recalls.
What is necessary to do after a dental cleaning?
After a dental cleaning, it's important to maintain the health of your gums and teeth by practicing good oral hygiene habits at home and attending your recommended dental appointments as advised by your clinician.
After a dental cleaning, it is necessary to maintain the health of your gums and teeth by practicing good oral hygiene habits at home and coming regularly for your recommended dental appointments.
How should I schedule a dental hygiene appointment?
If you're looking for dental care you can trust, call us at (204) 817-6768 or email [email protected]. We're here to help you have the smile you've always wanted!