The dentist's guide to basic teeth cleaning

Question 1

Information taken from the article published on Dental One Associates web site (VA)
https://www.dentalone-va.com/the-dentists-guide-to-a-basic-teeth-cleaning/

Answer 1

https://www.dentalone-va.com/the-dentists-guide-to-a-basic-teeth-cleaning/

Question 2

What is dental cleaning?

Answer 2

Professional teeth cleaning by a certified dental hygienist aims to remove plaque, tarter and stains that have accumulated on the teeth

Question 3

Why dental cleaning?

Answer 3

The professional cleaning of teeth is a crucial part of good oral hygiene and is needed periodically to maintain the health of your teeth and gums. Most dentists recommend having your teeth professionally cleaned every 6-12 months to reduce the likelihood of periodontal disease progressing.

Question 4

Plaque

Answer 4

Plaque is the sticky, soft film that contains millions of bacteria. his bacteria found in plaque is what causes gum disease and tooth decay.

Question 5

Tartar

Answer 5

Tarter, or dental calculus, is a hard calcified deposit that forms on the teeth and can contribute to their decay.

Question 6

Cleaning instruments

Answer 6

Dentists use specialized instruments to gently remove these deposits without causing harm to the teeth.

Question 7

1- Ultrasonic instrument.

Answer 7

The first tool that is generally used to clean teeth is an ultrasonic instrument.
This device uses mild vibrations to loosen larger pieces of tarter. It also sprays subsequent mists of cool water to wash away loose debris. The tips of the ultrasonic instrument are rounded and curved, and kept in constant motion. The settings on the device can be adjusted for the patient’s comfort.

Question 8

2- Curettes or Scalers: Hand-held instruments, finer than the ultrasonic instrument.

Answer 8

Once larger pieces of tarter are dislodged by the ultrasonic instrument, the dentist will make the switch to curettes or scalers, these tools are designed to eliminate smaller deposits on the teeth and smooth the tooth surfaces. They are finer hand-held instruments.
Each tooth must be scaled individually to ensure that all tarter is removed

Question 9

3- Slow-speed hand-piece containing a soft rubber cup

Answer 9

Once the surfaces of the teeth are smooth, the dentist will polish the teeth. Using a slow-speed handpiece containing a soft rubber cup, the polishing device spins at the tip to smooth teeth. Prophylaxis paste, a gritty toothpaste-like solution, is put into the rubber cup. The cup containing the solution spins on the teeth to create a shiny, smooth surface. In some instances, your dentist may also apply fluoride as the final step in cleaning.

Question 10

4- Prophylaxis paste

Answer 10

Prophylaxis paste, a gritty toothpaste-like solution, is put into the rubber cup of the slow speed hand-piece instrument #3

Question 11

5- Fluoride

Answer 11

Fluoride is used to strengthen teeth and protect them against dental plaque and tarter.

In some instances, your dentist may apply fluoride as the final step in cleaning.fluoride is placed in flexible foam trays and placed over the teeth. After 30 seconds of the fluoride treatment, the patient is asked to spit the remaining solution into a saliva ejector.

Question 12

Cleaning is painless

Answer 12

The cooling mist of water, mild vibrations, and the pressure felt during “scraping” does not generally caused discomfort. It’s important to let your dentist know if the cleaning is beginning to cause pain, so that they can recommend alternative options to make your teeth cleaning more enjoyable.

Question 13

Time frame

Answer 13

Most dental cleanings last between 30 minutes to an hour on average, and are performed in a lying position in a comfortable dental chair.

Question 14

Scaling

Answer 14

If you have gums that are slightly receded from your teeth, you may be at increased risk for gum disease and your dentist may recommend scaling. Scaling is non-surgical, but it is a different type of procedure from a standard dental cleaning because it involves cleaning the areas of the tooth below the gum line.

Question 15

Scaling with hand-held instruments.

Answer 15

Your dentist or periodontist will use a dental scaler and curette to manually remove (scale) the plaque from the teeth. Because the dentist or dental hygienist can’t see the plaque, they rely on touch to identify areas of tartar buildup and rough spots.

Question 16

Scaling with ultrasonic instruments.

Answer 16

Ultrasonic scaling instruments clean plaque from the teeth with a vibrating metal tip that chips off the tartar and a water spray to wash it away and keep the tip cool.

Question 17

Does Dental Scaling Hurt?

Answer 17

During the teeth scaling process, your dentist or dental hygienist will numb the gums and tooth roots with a local anesthesia,but teeth scaling and root planing cause very little discomfort.Root planing involves smoothing rough spots on the roots of the teeth that can promote gum disease by trapping and holding bacteria.
After a scaling and planing, you can expect that your gums will be numb from the anesthesia and then possibly a little tender. But if you maintain a consistent oral health routine of twice-daily tooth brushing and daily flossing, your gums should quickly regain a firm, healthy, pink appearance.

Question 18

Dental Scaling Procedure Watch-outs

Answer 18

The procedure can introduce bacteria into the bloodstream, so precautions may need to be taken to treat gum disease in people who are at increased risk for infections, such as those with heart problems, liver disease or a compromised immune system due to an illness, such as HIV.

Question 19

Hygienist’s recommendation to replace the ultrasonic instrument by a hand-held one for receded areas of the gums.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98PP2nf-71w

Answer 19

4:36 Hygienist says: I’m always really cautious of areas that have a recession because I don’t want to cause pain to my patient while I’m using the ultrasonic and a lot of times this tool can cause a lot of sensitivity. So, I’m always really cautious around recessed areas to avoid areas that are demineralized or maybe are an area that has an open lesion on it.
When you deal with sensitive patients you can also warm the water and that’s really nice for a lot of patients who have sensitivity to the cold, and if it is tender consider just skipping that area with ultrasonic and handheld it instead or consider numbing it if you do need to get into the area to remove the calculus.