Gentle Professional Cleanings

During a regular dental checkup visit, you sometimes will see two professionals — the dentist and the dental hygienist. The hygienist typically will learn about your concerns and expectations, take all the necessary radiographs, intraoral pictures, check your gums and teeth, clean and polish your teeth, and talk to you about caring for your teeth and gums properly at home. Once all the necessary diagnostic data is collected, Dr. Kaur then will review it all with the hygienist and you, perform clinical examination, diagnose concerns and problems and then recommend solutions and treatment choices.

Here's what to expect:

• Cleaning - The purpose of a professional dental cleaning is to remove the hard calculus (also called tartar) from above and just below the gum line. Brushing and flossing at home removes plaque. Only dental instruments can remove calculus. Our dental hygienists may use ultrasonic instruments to blast away the larger chunks of tartar. They follow up with hand instruments to thoroughly clean the teeth. Some hygienists may use only hand instruments.
• Polishing - After the calculus is removed, the crowns of your teeth (the parts that shows in the mouth above the gum line) may be polished to remove plaque and surface stains. Typically, but not always, an abrasive substance is applied to the teeth with a small rotating rubber cup or brush. This helps to scrub away stains. The polishing substance will feel gritty in your mouth. But will be washed away with water.
• Prevention - The hygienist may offer customized instructions for oral care at home based on the results of the exam. Hygienist may demonstrate how to brush and floss properly. Sometimes, the hygienist will teach you to use a disclosing agent to test your brushing ability. A disclosing agent is a red solution or tablet that is applied to the teeth or chewed. The agent attaches to plaque and colors it to make it visible. Then you brush your teeth. You'll be able to see any plaque that you missed. Not all dentists and hygienists recommend disclosing agents because they can be tricky to use. For example, they may highlight some areas of plaque that can be removed only by professional cleaning. They may also stain tooth-colored fillings. Some experts recommend using a disclosing agent only at the dentist's office, and only if the hygienist is prepared to polish any remaining red color off the teeth afterwards. Disclosing agents are a useful tool for improving and provide motivation for good oral hygiene practices. Dr. Kaur may recommend to use them at home.
• X-rays/Radiographs - Radiographs are an essential tool to diagnose many dental diseases .At your first visit required radiographs will be taken. However at subsequent follow up visits radiographs may or may not be taken during your checkup. In the past, many dentists took X-rays at every checkup. But the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) currently says that X-rays are not needed at every visit. Although dental X-rays are safe, the FDA says unnecessary exposure should be limited because the effects of radiation add up over time. Especially in this age and time people also are exposed to radiation from many other sources. Some people may be able to go as long as 12 months between X-rays. Others may need them every few months. Dr. Kaur will consider the results of your clinical examination, your dental history and your individual risk for developing cavities. Then will decide if you need X-rays during your check-up visit. If you are seeing a new dentist for the first time, ask for a copy of your X-rays from your former dentist so that a comparison can be made between the preexisting conditions and newly diagnosed issues.
• Treatment Recommendations - If you are diagnosed with dental disease Dr. Kaur will recommend a comprehensive step by step plan to treat the cause and eliminate the disease. These may also include a referral to a specialist if deemed necessary. (Such as an endodontist, periodontist or orthodontist).

Children over the age of two should visit their dentist at least twice a year for a professional hygiene cleaning. To maintain oral health, it's very important that you stay up to speed on the condition of your teeth, so that if problems are detected, they can be treated early to avoid developing more serious issues. At Gainesville Dental Arts, we provide comfortable, gentle hygiene cleanings, specifically to detect, deter and prevent gum disease. If we find a cause for concern, we may recommend a deep gum cleaning to remove tartar below the gum line, smooth out surfaces where plaque builds up and eliminate bacterial infection.

While at Gainesville Dental Arts in Gainesville, we ensure that you experience the highest level of service and make sure that our dental work is of the highest quality. To ensure that you maintain great oral health, your personal oral hygiene routine this level of quality needs to extend into. We can help you establish a dental hygiene routine that will keep your teeth healthy and white. Your teeth are not the only important part of your mouth; your gums are essential to oral hygiene as well. We can provide periodontal cleanings and treatment. Please schedule an appointment with us at Gainesville Dental Arts in Gainesville today to get started.

Important Reasons to Get Professional dental care

• To detect possible health risks such as gum disease and oral cancer
• To eliminate bad breath
• To have a brighter, whiter smile
• To prevent tooth loss
• To maintain good physical health

In order to maintain good oral health and a bright smile, please call us at 703-743-2324 Gainesville Dental Arts in Gainesville today to schedule a professional dental care visit.