Written and clinically reviewed by Dr. Andrew Korcek, DDS, FAGD · Korcek Dental, Minden, Nevada
A guide to getting dental care when you are afraid of the dentist
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A routine cleaning takes about 30 to 60 minutes. A hygienist removes hardened deposits with a scaler, polishes the teeth, flosses, and may apply fluoride. The scraping sensation is pressure rather than pain, and nothing sharp goes anywhere near the nerve.
Step by step
Examination first
A quick look with a mirror and probe before anything starts, to check for anything that needs attention before cleaning.
Scaling
Hardened plaque, called calculus or tartar, is removed from the tooth surface and just below the gumline. Once it hardens, brushing cannot shift it. This is the part that makes the scraping sound.
Polishing
A slow rotating cup with a gritty paste. Feels like vibration and tastes like mint. Nothing here is sharp.
Flossing
Between every tooth, to clear anything the previous steps loosened.
Fluoride, if scheduled
A varnish or gel applied to the surface. You are usually asked not to eat for a short period afterwards.
The sounds, explained in advance
Most anxiety at a cleaning comes from noise rather than sensation, and noise is much less alarming once you know its source.
- •High-pitched whine: the ultrasonic scaler, which vibrates deposits loose with water. It does not cut.
- •Scraping: a hand instrument against hardened calculus. Pressure, not pain.
- •Suction gurgle: the saliva ejector. Purely plumbing.
- •Low buzz: the polishing cup.
If your gums bleed
Bleeding during a cleaning is a sign of inflammation, not of the hygienist being rough. Healthy gums do not bleed when cleaned. It typically reduces markedly once the deposits causing the inflammation are gone and home care improves.
It is worth mentioning rather than hiding, because persistent bleeding is the earliest visible sign of gum disease and it is far easier to reverse early.
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Quick answers
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