Teeth Cleaning in Owensboro, KY

To best protect your dazzling smile, you need regular teeth cleaning services from your Owensboro, KY, dentist. Otherwise, the plaque will build up along the gumline, resulting in cavities, gum disease, and worse. Beyond that, serious dental health problems, including oral cancer, could fly under the radar until the pain and discomfort starts in earnest. Thankfully, teeth cleaning appointments are quick and easy, especially when done on a regular basis.

How Often to Come In for Teeth Cleaning Appointments

Most people need to come into see their Owensboro, KY, dentist for a routine teeth cleaning visit every six months. You may need to come in more often or can possibly even get away with yearly cleanings, however, depending on your personal dental health factors. If plaque develops on your teeth faster than other people, for example, then you’ll likely need to come in quarterly instead.

At your initial cleaning appointment, your dentist will assess your dental health and let you know how often to get your teeth cleaned. You can then set up your next visit at the end of your appointment, so you can easily stay on top of your preventative dental care.

What to Expect During Your Visit

When you come in for a teeth cleaning in Owensboro, KY, your dentist will likely move through the following steps.

Exam

At the start of your visit, you’ll get a full dental exam to check for cavities, gum disease, and other health concerns. Your dentist will also do a quick oral cancer screening by visually examining your oral tissues and checking your face, jaw, and neck for lumps. As they explore the health of your teeth, gums, and other oral tissues, your dentist will let you know if they find any abnormalities.

X-Rays

Since x-rays are done yearly, you’ll likely only go through this step at every other cleaning. The only exception is if you’re having tooth pain or have any other concerns.

The x-rays allow your dentist to look deep within your teeth and below the gumline to check for dental problems. If they find any issues while reviewing the images, your dentist will likely have you schedule another appointment for the proposed treatment.

Plaque Removal

After checking the health of your teeth, gums, and other oral tissues, your dental hygienist will get to work in removing plaque from your teeth. They will use a scaler to scrape along all the surfaces of your teeth where plaque forms, especially around the gumline.

Tartar removal is usually the most time consuming part of the teeth cleaning process. You can minimize your time in the chair by thoroughly brushing and flossing your teeth two to three times per day. That will minimize tartar buildup, so you can get out of the dental chair in no time flat.

Professional Cleaning

After removing the large plaque deposits, your dental hygienist will polish your teeth to remove any remaining tartar. To do that, they will put a gritty toothpaste on an electric brush, and then use it to scrub all your tooth surfaces. As they scrub each quadrant, they will rinse away the grit and use a suction-device to remove the fluid from your mouth.

Thorough Flossing

Once the polishing step is over, your hygienist will floss between each tooth to remove the remaining plaque and toothpaste grit. The flossing helps them check the health of your gums as well.

If your gums start to bleed a lot, it’s a sign that you may need to improve your flossing technique or floss more often at home. Your hygienist will give you smart flossing tips to follow as they work, so listen up to learn how to keep your teeth and gums in great shape.

Full Rinse and Review

At the end of the teeth cleaning process, you’ll get to fully rinse your mouth out and feel the benefits of getting a professional clean. Your dentist will then come in to check out your teeth once more before going over their findings from earlier in the appointment. If they discovered any issues, you may need to come back to have the issues treated, so you can enjoy the best dental health possible.

Ready to Boost Your Oral Health? Schedule a Teeth Cleaning Today

Are you ready to have your teeth professionally cleaned? If so, give our team a call at 270-274-3645 to schedule a visit with your trusted Owensboro, KY, dentist. We’ll help you get your teeth looking and feeling your best, and then give you a preventative care schedule to follow. You can then simply schedule your visits in advance, so you never miss a chance at improving your dental health.