Dental Cleaning

Dental cleaning is a process whereby the tartar or calculus forming on the teeth and surrounding tissues is removed. This process is known as debridement.

When we debride the teeth, we are removing the harmful bacterial layers to keep the tissues surrounding the teeth healthy. Tools used to remove these layers include hand scalers, ultrasonic scalers and prophylactic paste. After debridement of plaque and calculus, one may experience temporary sensitivity of the teeth as well as bleeding of the gums. These are normal after a cleaning and can be resolved with proper post-operative care. Topical or local anesthetics can be administered should you find the scaling an extremely sensitive procedure.

Visiting your dental hygienist for regular cleanings helps keep you in good oral health, prevents the development or progression of gum disease.