What You Can Expect During Your Dental Exam & Cleaning Appointment?

What are Dental Exams and Cleanings?

Dental exams and cleanings are feared by many people because of jaw discomfort, strange noises, and prodding. While it is easy to understand people’s apprehensions, it must be clarified that teeth cleaning and exam are straightforward and painless. Furthermore, knowing precisely what to expect during your dental exam and cleaning appointment helps ease your stress and enables you to enjoy minty fresh results.

Why Are Dental Exams and Cleanings Essential?

Your mouth has countless bacteria, most harmless and living in harmony with each other. However, things can go awry and make some microorganisms harmful when you don’t care for your teeth and oral cavity, as suggested by your dentist. Therefore, a dental exam becomes essential for the following:

• Detect issues like tooth decay, gum disease, and oral cancer in your mouth.
• Check existing restorations and receive recommendations for replacements or new repairs if required.
• Discuss your diet and lifestyle habits to ensure they do not affect your oral and overall health.
• Have x-rays taken to ensure no dental infections remain hidden between your teeth, invisible to the naked eye?
• Get your teeth cleaned by the hygienist to remove dental plaque and tartar, prime culprits for cavities and gum disease.

What is The Procedure for Getting a Dental Exam and Cleaning?

When you schedule your appointment for a dental exam and cleaning by the Edmonton dentist, prepare for the following:

> Before Your Appointment

• Prepare to arrive at the dentist’s office according to the scheduled time.
• Anticipate spending at least one hour at the dentist’s office to get your oral cavity examined and cleaned.
• Expect the dentist to hand you over to the dental hygienist to perform the dental cleaning.

> During Your Appointment

Your dental exam and cleaning do not end after the dentist examines your mouth. Instead, the dentist instructs the dental hygienist to clean your teeth thoroughly after reviewing them and confirming you do not have severe infections or conditions in your mouth.

• The teeth cleaning helps you because the dental hygienist removes dental plaque and tartar on your teeth and gum line to ensure you don’t become a victim of periodontal disease.
• Getting dental exams & cleaning near you also give you access to a flossing demonstration, regardless of whether you use dental floss at home or not. In addition, the hygienist gets deep between your teeth to identify trouble spots that might bleed to remove any excess plaque between your teeth.
• The hygienist polishes your teeth using gritty toothpaste with a high-powered electric toothbrush to give you a deep cleaning to remove any tartar remaining by scrubbing your teeth to make them appear brighter than earlier.
• Providing a fluoride treatment is also a part of dental exams and cleanings because it helps strengthen the teeth’ enamel to assist in your fight against cavities for several months.

> After Your Appointment

After your dental exam and cleaning, expect the dentist and hygienist to discuss the following:

• A discussion with the dentist and hygienist about your dental hygiene practices and improvements you need to incorporate in them for better oral health.
• Expect to have minty fresh breath from the cleaning you received from the dental hygienist.
• Anticipate protection against cavities until your next appointment from the fluoride treatment provided by the hygienist after the cleaning.
• Expect to return home with peace of mind that your mouth is not home to harmful microorganisms that might create complications.
• Receive advice on the foods and beverages helpful for ensuring oral health and avoiding harmful foods and beverages to safeguard your teeth.
• A discussion of existing restorations on your teeth and the need for fresh ones to safeguard your teeth from further damage.
• Schedule your next appointment with the dentist as recommended in six months or earlier if affected by issues like periodontal disease or loose teeth.

What are the Benefits of Getting a Dental Exam and Cleaning?

Numerous benefits accrue when you get a dental exam and cleaning. They are the following:

• The dental exam by the dentist ensures you do not have any infections or conditions in your mouth that might affect your overall health.
• You receive advice on preventive measures to take on existing restorations in your teeth to ensure you do not confront complications when least expected.
• The dentist advises you to modify your dental hygiene practices and diet to maintain oral health in excellent condition.
• Dental cleaning helps you receive a flossing demonstration by the hygienist to ensure you use the tool better to safeguard your teeth and gums.
• The polishing by the hygienist brightens your pearly whites and allows you to display your beautiful smile.
• Our dentist in Edmonton, AB ensures your dental health is in optimal shape and advises improving it if required to better enjoy the minty fresh results you desire.

You accrue all the benefits mentioned above when your teeth are examined and cleaned as recommended by our Edmonton dentist.

Conclusion

Professional dental exams and cleanings are scheduled twice yearly, and dentists take X-rays annually. However, depending on the observations of the dentist and hygienist in your mouth, they might recommend other exams during your appointment. Children will receive recommendations for molar sealants to prevent cavities on the back teeth that are challenging to brush.

Whether you need additional work or not, returning to the dentist for regular exams and cleanings is crucial as a preventive measure because it helps avoid problems in your mouth altogether and prevents the need for expensive dental work. Most importantly, realizing what to expect during your appointment helps ease the stress of visiting your dentist to get your teeth examined and cleaned in a straightforward process.

Looking to Get Dental Exams and Teeth Cleaning Near West Edmonton?

After reading this article to ease your stress about dental prophylaxis, you can schedule your appointment to get teeth cleaning & dental exams in Edmonton, AB at Great Smile Family Dental for a safe and painless procedure to care for your oral health. The meeting with the Edmonton dentist will confirm your dental health is in excellent shape and prepare you for future appointments with them to keep your oral cavity healthy.