Dental Cleanings and Exams: How Important Are They?

Jade

January 5, 2022

Maintaining our dental hygiene is an important part of maintaining our overall health. Fortunately, there are a lot of things that we can do to ensure that our smiles are preserved and remain functional including brushing, flossing, wearing dental guards, and cutting back on sugar.

Alongside these measures, scheduling – and actually attending– a dental cleaning and check-up in North York is another necessary step that helps you look after your teeth, gums, and bones.

At our local dental practice, we offer this treatment to all our patients. If you’re interested in setting up an appointment with one of our dentists near you, give us a call today.

Reasons for Dental Cleanings and Check-ups 

Okay, so your dentist in North York has advised you to come in for biannual dental appointments. So what? For starters, listening to your dentist is just as important as physically cleaning your smile. Not only are they experts in this field of healthcare, but they have your best interest at heart and are here to help you.

Second, there are multiple advantages to these types of visits, such as:

  • Stops premature tooth loss.
  • Early detection of oral cancer.
  • Helps prevent gum disease, tooth decay, and infections
  • Freshens your breath.
  • Brightens up your smile.
  • It is a straightforward, painless process!
  • And, of course, it helps preserve your overall health.

Receiving a Cleaning and Check-up

What exactly happens during a routine dental cleaning and exam? Good questions. Even though most of us have gone to these types of appointments and have a basic understanding, we can’t see what’s happening inside our mouths.

To help you feel more comfortable with this treatment, we’ve broken down the process below:

The Check-up

When you come into Underhill Dental, your visit will kick off with the dental examination. Once you’re settled in the chair, a dental hygienist will assess your oral cavity, followed by x-rays. These images allow your dental team to build a comprehensive picture of your oral health and see how your smile is fairing below the surface of your gums.

This entire process typically only takes between 5 to 10 minutes.

The Cleaning 

Once this is all done, your cleaning will begin. Your hygienist will remove the plaque, tartar, and bacteria from your teeth and your gum line. This is done with a round mirror and a scaler. The scaler is what makes that notorious scraping noise – areas that have more plaque will require more scraping.

A gritty toothpaste is used to clean your teeth and remove stains. Then your hygienist will floss for you. You’ll be able to spit and rinse afterward.

The last, and arguably one of the most critical steps, of the cleaning is the fluoride treatment. It may come in the form of a varnish, a liquid, or a foamy gel. The solution remains on your teeth for a minute.

Throughout your treatment, your dentist will pop by now and again to supervise and see how you’re doing.

And that’s it! All done! If you have any queries or concerns at all, don’t hesitate to let your dental team know so they can address them. After all, your comfortable is important too.

Before you go, your dentist will help you book a follow-up visit 6 months later.

Come into Underhill Dental Today! 

Are you ready to set up an appointment for adental cleaning and check-up near you? Our staff is here to help you with all your dental needs. You can reach us via phone, email, or by stopping by our local in person.

We’ll see you soon!