How Long Does It Take for Dental Exams and Cleanings?
Are you anxious about the impending appointment for dental exams and cleaning and wonder how much time you must spend at the dental office? The answer to your anxiousness depends on how long you have been avoiding these visits. If you are diligent with your dental hygiene and include checkups with your dentist, your appointment may last approximately 60 minutes. However, if you visit your dentist after a year or more, expect to spend more time at the dental office because you may require a comprehensive exam and cleaning.
Why should you remain concerned about the time required for dental exams and cleanings in Coopersburg, PA, when you must be more worried about your dental health? As mentioned earlier, the span between two dental appointments determines the time required for your procedure. If you have delayed the dental exam and cleaning beyond a year, prepare yourself to undergo a thorough exam of your teeth and gums and even provide x-rays requested by the dentist to detect anomalies between your teeth that develop silently.
The dentist completes the dental exam quickly, examining your teeth, gums, and other parts of your oral cavity, looking for precancerous or cancerous lesions indicating the presence of oral cancer. After reviewing your mouth to confirm no anomalies exist, the dentist allows the dental hygienist to take over to give you a dental cleaning.
What Happens During the Dental Cleaning Procedure?
The dental cleaning procedure requires between 30 minutes to 1 hour after completing the dental exam. However, the teeth cleaning process is not stressful because you can lie down on a comfortable dental chair while the registered hygienist examines your teeth all over again.
When starting the teeth cleaning, the dental hygienist uses tiny mirrors to examine the inside of your mouth. If they detect any issues, they pass the information to the dentist for further evaluation. However, if they notice severe complications, they stop the cleaning entirely to consult with the dentist on how to proceed.
Plaque and Tartar Removal
Brushing and flossing are excellent home remedies to eliminate dental plaque. However, your toothbrush and dental floss cannot reach all areas of your mouth, especially between your teeth and along the gumline. As a result, plaque hardens into tartar quickly, making it impossible for you to eliminate it by brushing. In such cases registered dental hygienist is the optimal professional to remove hardened tartar from your teeth.
You may not think tartar is concerning. However, if you realize tartar is the leading cause of gum disease that develops in your mouth silently and makes its presence felt only after it advances into a severe condition. Gum disease results in jawbone loss and tooth loss to leave you saddled with unnecessary complications than if you spared the time for this straightforward and non-obtrusive procedure. If you have scheduled your appointment after over a year, the dental hygienist gives you a deep clean to eliminate tartar from your teeth and along the gumline giving you freedom from the problem of gum disease.
After cleaning your teeth, the hygenist polishes them using gritty toothpaste and a high-powered electric toothbrush. The polishing doesn’t hurt but leaves you with whiter teeth to have a gleaming smile. Therefore you shouldn’t alarm yourself by the whirring sounds of the toothbrush.
Flossing Lessons
You may think you use dental floss appropriately at home and require no flossing lessons. However, the dental hygienist is an expert with dental flossing and provides you a demonstration to ensure you’re using this excellent tool to best effect. In addition, the hygienist gets deep between your teeth to remove any plaque left behind after the cleaning process.
After flossing your teeth, the hygienist requests you to rinse your mouth and receive a fluoride treatment to strengthen enamel and fight cavities for several months.
Final Discussions the Dentist and Hygienist
Finally, the dentist and hygienist will discuss with you the condition of your oral health and the need for any restorations or repairs to existing restorations. Your diet and lifestyle habits are also discussed to ensure you have a well-balanced diet and remain away from harmful practices that can damage your dental and overall health. At the end of the exam, the dentist requests that you schedule your next appointment in six months or earlier if required. The entire procedure doesn’t need more than one hour unless you neglect the exams and cleanings and spend more time at the dental office.
Instead of worrying about the time required for exams and cleanings by neglecting timely treatment, schedule an appointment with Coopersburg Dental every six months to complete the procedure within the hour.