As you pursue dental care, you may worry that the process could be painful. Many rumors – both online and not – claim teeth cleanings hurt a lot and cause all sorts of aches. However, you really have no reason to fear; your next dental checkup will likely be comfy. Your local Conyers dentist can even prove these claims with some solid evidence. So, read on to learn what teeth cleanings involve, whether they hurt, and how to make them even comfier.
What a Teeth Cleaning Involves
While it may sound complex, a “professional” teeth cleaning is a pretty straightforward thing. It’s basically just a more advanced version of your at-home oral care.
Any dentist-led teeth cleaning will involve specific steps. To start the session, a hygienist will use precise tools to scrape away your smile’s built-up plaque. (Such debris can be hard to reach, as it exists between your teeth and near the gumline.) They’ll then polish your teeth with special instruments that make your enamel stronger and brighter. At the end of the cleaning, the hygienist will use floss to remove your smile’s remaining plaque and tartar.
Do Teeth Cleanings Hurt?
The ideal teeth cleaning won’t hurt at all. With that said, your own could involve minor aches and pains if your smile isn’t doing well.
A teeth cleaning is invasive when it’s only done rarely. In that scenario, the plaque-removal work has a high risk of irritating your sensitive teeth and gums. This irritation can hurt and feature other symptoms like bleeding, swelling, etc. After all, an unhealthy mouth’s immune system will overreact to external forces.
Of course, dentists strive to make each cleaning as painless as possible. They don’t apply unnecessary force, and they avoid upsetting your gums as best they can.
How to Make Teeth Cleaning Comfier
To make your next teeth cleaning comfier, use the following tips in the coming days:
- Clean Your Mouth Daily – If you brush and floss daily, you’ll keep your mouth fairly clean. That tidiness will make your next cleaning less invasive.
- Take Pain Medicine First – Try taking over-the-counter pain medicine before your cleaning. If you do, your dental visit should go more smoothly.
- Get a Good Hygienist – In reality, the right dental hygienist will make teeth cleaning easier for you and your smile. Just make sure they don’t tread lightly and fail to clean your mouth well.
If you don’t want teeth cleanings to hurt, keep your smile strong in the days leading up to them. You can do that with the tips above and good oral care!
About the Practice
Hillcrest Dentistry is based in Conyers, GA. Led by Dr. Kimberly Peters, our practice strives to give every patient a bright and beautiful smile. We embody that commitment with our preventive, cosmetic, and restorative treatments, which are tailored to your mouth’s exact needs. Through these procedures, our team can help any grin thrive for years to come! For more details or to book a visit, please contact us on our website or by phone at (770)-922-1666.