Cleaning is often one of the most dreaded moments for patients when they visit our Long Beach Dentist office. But with a little more understanding, our patients understand the importance of regular cleaning and checkups.
Our dental hygienists divide teeth cleaning into six parts. We will explain each of them with a brief overview below.
The Cleaning
Cleaning is often one of the most dreaded moments for patients when they visit our Long Beach Dentist office. But with a little more understanding, our patients understand the importance of regular cleaning and checkups.
Our dental hygienists divide teeth cleaning into six parts. We will explain each of them with a brief overview below.
Physical Exam: Our dental hygienist will do a physical exam before starting anything with your teeth. We use a small mirror to spot impending problems. These problems can include periodontal disease, severe plaque buildup, tooth loss or damage.
Removal of plague and tartar: Our dental hygienists will use small mirrors and scrapers to remove previously accumulated tartar and plague. This usually sounds discomforting, but it’s not a complicated process. The more buildup on your teeth, the longer this process will take.
Gritty Toothpaste Cleaning: In a professional dental setting, gritty toothpaste is safe to use nearly twice a year. However, trying to do the same at home can damage your tooth enamel. Our dental hygienists brush and clean teeth with a special electric toothbrush and professional cleaning toothpaste.
Flossing your teeth: When our dental hygienist uses dental floss, we’ll look for sensitive spots on bleeding gums and remove plaque buildup while flossing.
Rinse: Rinsing removes stains that would not come out before, as it cleans and polishes teeth and removes most of the stains or debris.
Fluoride Treatment: Fluoride treatment helps preserve tooth decay by adding a protective coating to the teeth. Fluoride hardens when you salivate, so you can eat and drink immediately after leaving our office.
