Having your teeth cleaned by your dentist every six months is a very important aspect to your oral health. While cleaning and caring for your teeth twice a day and flossing regularly is very important, it’s also very important to have a professional clean off the excess plaque and tartar that can build up at an exam, even for someone who is fantastic at taking care of their teeth. The dentist can also check to make sure that there are no infections such as cavities, gingivitis, and periodontal disease.

During the dental cleaning, the dentist or hygienist will use hand instruments to manually scrape off as much tartar and plaque buildup as possible. After this, advanced technology enables us the using of ultrasonic cleaning equipment, which produces very gentle vibrations at a high speed. Once these initial cleanings are completed, a rotary machine will be used with the application of a small amount of toothpaste. The rotary machine will attempt to remove any more plaque that may remain underneath the gums. It also polishes the outer teeth. The cleaning will usually end with the dental professional flossing in between your teeth to get at any hard to reach plaque. During the cleaning, if there are any infections that are causing any pain, the dentist may provide and apply a local anesthesia to numb the pain.