Often times, when bringing a patient back into the hygiene room, I am met with the question, “It’s just a cleaning, right?”
Well, is it?
Most people think that the polishing done at the end of the appointment is the cleaning, but in reality, that’s only a small part of the hygiene visit. Today, I’ll take a minute to review the different aspects of the dental hygiene appointment, so that we can make the term “just a cleaning” a thing of the past.
Most people would agree that a cleaning consists of a scaling or “picking” as some people call it, followed by polishing the teeth. What you might not know is that much more has gone on before we ever arrived at that point.
You see, everyone’s dental needs are not the same. In order to choose the appropriate treatment path that is right for each patient, four screenings must also be done. These screenings include” a review of one’s medical history, an oral cancer screening, a periodontal evaluation, as well as an evaluation of the teeth and restorations associated with them. By incorporating these various screenings, we are better able to assess not only the health and/or level of infection present in the mouth, but also how the mouth is affecting the rest of the body and vice-versa.
Clearly a lot more is involved than meets the eye. And while a dental cleaning will ultimately make your teeth feel good, it’s not “just a cleaning” rather, it’s a crucial part of total body health and wellness.
Stay tuned for more from Bre the hygienist in Bre’s Blurb, the series.
