Getting Your Teeth Cleaned
at the Dentist's Office

One of the most vital aspects of good oral health is a periodic thorough cleaning of the teeth and gums. Some patients wonder what exactly we do during the cleaning process, so we want to share with you some of the specifics:

1. First we check the pocket depths around the teeth by probing. This gives us a great deal of information about the overall health of your gums

2. Then we examine for calculus or tartar, which is the hard residue, ranging in color from yellow to brown to black, which can form on your teeth. Calculus above the gum is easily seen, but below the gum is hidden. This calculus below the gum is detected again by careful probing.

3. We remove the plaque and calculus from above and below the gum line using techniques called scaling. When removing the rock-like calculus the deposits literally fracture from the tooth.

4. Then the rough spots are smoothed removing the crevices that collect bacteria. Smoothing the tooth surface also helps the gums reattach at a higher level.

5. Polishing is the final procedure. This produces a smooth surface, making it difficult for plaque to adhere. All these benefits are only maintained with excellent home care. So be motivated when you get back home. Removing plaque on a daily basis is the key to long term health, as without plaque, calculus and gum disease cannot form.

6. If the gums have shown signs of inflammation, a good cleaning will certainly result in an improvement, provided you continue the removal of bacteria on a daily basis.
This includes not only the proper use of a toothbrush and floss with fluoride toothpaste, but also the use of cleaning auxiliaries such as mouth rinses, proxabrushes and other devices as recommended by your health care professional.

7. It is important to note that home care can easily eliminate the plaque above the gums, but is only effective to a depth of about 3 mm below the gums, depending on the individual. So if you do have deeper pockets more frequent cleanings may be required.

Gum Disease Process