What Is Really Happening At Your Child’s Dental Cleaning

Have you ever wondered what happens during your childs dental cleaning?

Here are the typical steps in a child’s dental visit:

• We will walk back to the exam room with the child and parent and ask if there have been any changes in the health history.
• We will ask the parent and child if there are any dental concerns.
• Often, we ask the child about school or their summer. We want the child to feel comfortable before the exam gets started.
• Depending on when the child last had x-rays, we may take them back to get the x-rays done.
• Next, we move back to the exam room and chair and we count the teeth and mark which teeth are existing on the chart and if there are any wiggly ones.
• Then we will scale the teeth, removing plaque build-up, and polish them.
• After that, usually a quick rinse, and on to flossing.
• Generally, after flossing, we then use an instrument that blows air, just to confirm there is no plaque remaining.
• We will do a cancer screening, checking the sides of the tongue and the roof of the mouth and all around. (Oral cancer is rare in children, but this is part of the process).
• If everything looks good, we will go over some oral hygiene instructions and call the dentist to do his/her check.
• The dentist usually asks the same questions, checks the teeth, and makes sure any concerns are checked out.
• Lastly, we do a fluoride treatment – either the foam tray or the varnish, (depending on the office)
• Then we walk the patient out and give any follow-up instructions before scheduling the next visit.

I hope this helps both you and your child feel more comfortable with dental exams. If you have any questions, feel free to ask! We are here for you.