You may sometimes be wary about visiting your hygienist to undergo a dental cleaning procedure. You might think that sitting on the dental chair is all you need to do for dental plaque removal. However, preparing for the session can help you at more ease than you ever could be.
What happens in a dental cleaning procedure?
Dental cleaning is essential for your oral health as it removes tartar buildup. It fights off signs of tooth decay and gum issues like gingivitis, thus leaving you with healthy teeth.
Your registered dental hygienist does the following steps for your oral health:
- Examine your mouth.
- Use scaling tools to remove tartar from your teeth.
- Brush your teeth with a toothpaste that uses a unique formulation.
- Floss your teeth and rinse your mouth.
- Apply fluoride gel.
Other steps may be necessary to remove tartar, depending on the condition of your teeth and gums. Moreover, the whole procedure typically lasts between 30 minutes and an hour.
How to reduce your anxiety before a dental visit
Sometimes you get too anxious on the day of your appointment. You may worry about things, especially about how dirty your teeth and gums may be.
You can do the following tips at home to ensure that you don’t get jittery during your dental cleaning session:
Avoid setting an appointment during rush hours.
Some dental offices often get busy in the mornings, depending on their location. Mornings can be active as well as late afternoons on most occasions. The middle of the day can be an excellent time to pick for an appointment. During this time, kids are at school, and most adults are at work.
Take an over-the-counter painkiller.
Dental cleaning doesn’t cause much discomfort as you might expect it to be. Still, it’s a reasonable precaution to take one dose of ibuprofen before your teeth cleaning appointment. You can also opt to take another about six hours after the procedure.
Avoid overbrushing
You get worried about what your dental hygienist can find in your teeth. You make sure to brush for your oral hygiene, but the jitters leave you brushing too hard. Take your time in brushing teeth to avoid making them hypersensitive during your dental treatment.
Skip your morning coffee.
Starting your day with a cup of coffee may already be a part of your routine. However, it isn’t ideal, especially when you’re about to have a dental visit. You may only end up worrying for hours before you sit on the dental chair.
Arrive early
Rushing only makes you more agitated, so prepare ahead of time. Arrive at the clinic earlier than your scheduled appointment to calm your nerves. You may also need to fill in some paperwork. Hence, it’s good practice to have a lot of time to spare before the treatment.
Ask your Newmarket dentist what other things you can do for oral care before your dental cleaning.
