{"id":1168,"date":"2021-02-15T10:03:17","date_gmt":"2021-02-15T10:03:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.southlakedentistry.com\/?p=1168"},"modified":"2022-04-27T17:26:04","modified_gmt":"2022-04-27T17:26:04","slug":"from-start-to-finish-your-regular-dental-cleaning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.southlakedentistry.com\/blog\/from-start-to-finish-your-regular-dental-cleaning\/","title":{"rendered":"From Start to Finish: Your Regular Dental Cleaning"},"content":{"rendered":"

We\u2019ve all had a dental cleaning done before (and if not, you\u2019re way overdue to see a dentist) but do you really know what they\u2019re doing while you\u2019re in that chair? There are several components and steps that go into a dental cleaning, and we\u2019re breaking down the entire process from start to finish.<\/span><\/p>\n

Before we dive in, it\u2019s important to be aware that it is totally normal if your dentist probably doesn\u2019t actually perform your dental cleaning. This is where our amazing dental hygienists shine! Our hygienists are trained specifically to perform cleanings and are great at what they do.<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Dental Exam<\/span><\/h4>\n

Your dental cleaning will begin with an exam of your entire mouth and all of your teeth. This is the part when your dental hygienist uses a tiny mirror to examine your teeth and gums. What he or she is really doing is looking for signs of gingivitis. If your teeth and gums look healthy, your hygienist will proceed to the next step. If your <\/span>gums are inflamed or swollen<\/span>, they may call in your dentist for a second look.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Plaque and Tartar Removal\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n

Next, comes the removal of plaque and tartar. This is an essential step of a dental cleaning and leaves your teeth feeling squeaky clean. Again, your hygienist will use the same mirror and a scalar to rid the gum line of plaque and tartar. The scalar makes a scraping sound as it is used to scrape away all the bad stuff and can cause a bit of soreness if you have a lot of plaque and tartar on your teeth. However, this step should be a breeze if you brush and floss twice daily!<\/span><\/p>\n

3. Clean and Polish<\/span><\/h4>\n

During this step your hygienist uses a gritty toothpaste, sometimes mint or bubble gum flavored, and a special electric toothbrush to polish the surfaces of your teeth. But don\u2019t let the sound of the brush frighten you, this part is painless ( it might even tickle a little). Keep in mind that this kind of cleaning is safe to do once or twice a year but is too harsh to be done more often than that and should only be done by professionals in a dental office.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

4. Floss<\/span><\/h4>\n

The fourth step to a thorough dental cleaning is <\/span>flossing<\/span>. Dental hygienists are expert flossers and will be sure to remove anything that might have been missed during the plaque and tartar removal step. If you notice that your gums bleed during this step, it\u2019s likely a sign that you should start flossing more often at home.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

5. Rinse\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n

This is the final step of your cleaning. Your hygienist will give your mouth a thorough rinse to rid of any toothpaste or debris leaving your mouth feeling extra clean and fresh.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now that you know the steps of a dental cleaning, we hope you feel prepared for your next visit. Missed your last cleaning? You can easily <\/span>set up an appointment on our website<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There are several components and steps that go into a dental cleaning, and we\u2019re breaking down the entire process from start to finish.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1170,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[111,110,40],"yoast_head":"\nFrom Start to Finish: Your Regular Dental Cleaning - Southlake Family Dentistry Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.southlakedentistry.com\/blog\/from-start-to-finish-your-regular-dental-cleaning\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"From Start to Finish: Your Regular Dental Cleaning - Southlake Family Dentistry Blog\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"There are several components and steps that go into a dental cleaning, and we\u2019re breaking down the entire process from start to finish.\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.southlakedentistry.com\/blog\/from-start-to-finish-your-regular-dental-cleaning\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.southlakedentistry.com\/blog\/from-start-to-finish-your-regular-dental-cleaning\/\",\"name\":\"From Start to Finish: Your Regular Dental Cleaning - 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