The Toothache That Changed My Life

Do you not remember the last time that you've been to the dentist for cleaning and inspection? If so, you're likely a bit worried about how the appointment is going to go and what problems the dentist is going to find. Here is what you can expect to happen during this first visit to your dentistry clinic.

Your Cleaning Will Take A While

If it has been years since you've visited the dentist, you likely have a lot of tartar that is all over your teeth. This means that the first cleaning is going to take quite a bit of time to accomplish when compared to a normal cleaning. That is why it is worth letting your dentist know that it has been a while since you've had a teeth cleaning because they may need more time to clean your teeth and block out more time in their schedule. Don't be surprised if your dentist is going to have you come back for a second visit because your cleaning is simply taking too long to accomplish in the time that they are given. 

Your Gums Will Bleed

It is going to be tough getting rid of all that tartar that is stuck to your teeth, so you can expect the cleaning to cause your gums to bleed a little bit. This is not necessarily because the dentist is being rough with your teeth but rather due to them needing to scrape off that tartar to get rid of it.

You Will Need X-Rays

X-rays are a crucial tool to figure out what is happening inside of the tooth since they can help see decay in places that your dentist cannot typically see. This is why your dentist is going to request that X-rays are taken during this visit. In addition, they may even do a full mouth X-ray at this point because you have not had one in a while. 

You Will Have Perio Charting Performed

Dentists will monitor the health of your gums by performing perio charting, which is measuring the depth of the gum pockets to look for recession and track it over time. Your dentist will likely take measurements of the gum pockets along your entire mouth and record those numbers in their records as a baseline reading. They'll then do additional perio charting in the future, and they'll be able to tell if your gum recession is getting better or worse.