During a dental hygiene appointment, we are doing a lot more than just cleaning your teeth!

In this post we explain what you can expect at your teeth cleaning appointment in Calgary. 

Our hygienists will first review your medical history. There are many links between oral and overall health, and many medical conditions that affect how we care for you in our practice. We always want to make sure we are putting your safety first.

The hygienist would then go over any concerns you may have about your teeth, and will make sure that they are addressed and all of your questions are answered during your teeth cleaning visit in Calgary.

We would then assess to see if any X-rays of your teeth are needed. There are several types of dental x-rays with different indications or reasons for taking them, and we would discuss this with you prior to going ahead.

The hygienist then documents your gum measurements which are extremely important in keeping track of any gingivitis, gum disease and recession. We want to know if things are stable, improving or if they are getting worse. This helps us determine our customized treatment and home care recommendations for you.

Finally… it is time to clean your teeth! We call this scaling. And no, although it feels like we are scraping your enamel, teeth cleaning does not damage your teeth. You can read a previous post on this topic here: https://eauclaireparkdental.ca/can-a-cleaning-at-the-dentist-damage-tooth-enamel/

After your teeth are clean, we then polish to ensure all of the surfaces are nice and smooth which minimizes future stain and plaque accumulation.

The dentist will then come in to check your teeth. We always do an oral cancer check first, and then we check for any cavities, cracks, wear, signs of filling breakage or leakage etc. Every patient’s needs are different, but our goal is always to prevent you from experiencing a dental emergency in the future and prolong the life of any dental treatment you may have had in the past.

The final touch is a fluoride treatment for those patients who are prone to cavities, or who have sensitive teeth (recession). In our office we use a clear fluoride varnish which sticks to your teeth – no more gigantic trays full of gel or foam!