Routine Dental Hygiene Care: What to Expect at BDS!

While a good home oral care routine is the first step in protecting the health of your smile, scheduling regular dental hygiene appointments is equally important! Bi-annual appointments not only ensure that your teeth and gums are healthy, but they are also the best way to catch dental problems early.

Here’s what to expect when you come into Brookline Dental Specialists for a routine dental hygiene appointment:

Complete Mouth Exam:

After you are comfortably settled into the patient chair, your hygienist will thoroughly examine your mouth and teeth to check for any obvious areas of decay or other dental problems. This examination also includes an assessment of your gums for signs of recession or gum disease.

Oral Cancer Screening:

During the complete mouth exam, your hygienist will also look for any indicators of oral cancer. Oral cancer is the thirteenth most commonly diagnosed type of cancer, so regular screenings are critical.

X-rays:

Your hygienist will take X-rays of your teeth as needed. X-rays allow your dental health team to examine the internal structures of your teeth and gums more closely. At BDS, we use digital X-ray technology to reduce our patient’s exposure to harmful radiation and advanced dental AI technology to achieve the most accurate X-ray assessment.

Cleaning:

After examining and x-raying your teeth, your hygienist deep cleans your teeth, removing any plaque or tartar that may have built up since your last cleaning. They use special tools to reach places often missed by a regular toothbrush, like between tightly spaced teeth and below the gumline.

If your hygienist finds serious deposits of plaque and tartar along and below your gumline, your dentist may recommend a scaling treatment. Scaling is a more intensive cleaning of your teeth along and below the gumline and can prevent build up from leading to gum disease.

Polishing:

Following a thorough cleaning, your hygienist will polish your teeth with a special toothpaste, leaving them feeling their smoothest and looking their shiniest!

Digital Oral Health Scan:

Once a year, your BDS hygienist will use a unique instrument to perform a digital oral health scan. This scan creates a digital “map” of your mouth, teeth, and gums. The BDS team can use these digital scans to track any changes to your oral health over time.

Fluoride Treatment:

If you are prone to cavities or have been diagnosed with gum disease, your hygienist may recommend a fluoride treatment. Fluoride treatments help to strengthen enamel and provide extra
protection against harmful decay caused by plaque buildup.

Final Exam and Treatment Review:

The last thing that usually happens during a routine dental hygiene appointment is a visit from your dentist for a final exam. Your dentist will thoroughly inspect your mouth, teeth, and gums and review your X-rays for any signs of dental problems.

If your dentist does recommend treatment, they will discuss your treatment options to help you make the right decisions for the health of your smile.

When you come into BDS for a routine dental hygiene appointment, you can trust that our experienced team of dental specialists will take the best possible care of your smile!