What happens at a dental cleaning?
A hygienist does the cleaning, in three parts. First the tartar comes off: the hard, chalky buildup that brushing cannot shift, cleared from above the gum line and from just below it, where it does the most harm to the gums. Then the teeth are polished, which lifts surface stain and leaves them smooth enough that plaque has less to cling to.
The third part is the one people ask about. The hygienist slides a thin measuring probe gently between each tooth and the gum and calls out numbers. Those are the depths of the pockets around your teeth, and small numbers are what we want. A number that has grown since your last visit is an early sign of gum disease, often long before it hurts.
If there is a spot your brush keeps missing, the hygienist will show you where it is and how to reach it. That is worth more than any amount of polishing.
What the dentist checks at your exam
After the cleaning, the dentist examines every tooth for decay and cracks, and every existing filling and crown, because old work tends to wear at the edges before it fails outright. We look at how your teeth meet when you bite, since a bite that has shifted, or wear from grinding, is behind a lot of sore jaws and broken fillings.
Every exam here also includes an oral cancer screening. It takes about a minute: a look at and a feel of the lips, tongue, cheeks, the floor and roof of the mouth, the throat and the neck.
Then we tell you what we found, in plain words, with the images on the screen beside you: what needs doing now, what can reasonably be watched, and what each option costs before anything is scheduled.
Do you need X-rays at every checkup?
No. X-rays are taken when there is a reason to take one: a new patient with no recent images, a tooth that hurts, or a check between the teeth, where decay hides from view. They are not a matter of routine on every visit.
When we do take them, digital sensors need a fraction of the exposure film did, and the picture comes up on the screen beside you, so you see what we see. If another office has taken X-rays of your teeth in the last year or two, ask them to send them. It can save taking them again.
How often should you get your teeth cleaned?
Every six months suits most people. It is often enough to catch a cavity while it is still a small filling, and to stop tartar building up to the point where the gums start to suffer. On insurance paperwork, this routine cleaning is called a prophylaxis.
If you have been treated for gum disease, the interval shortens to every 3 to 4 months and the visit changes. That is periodontal maintenance, and the shorter gap is what keeps the disease under control.
If it has been years since your last cleaning
That is the usual reason people call, and nobody here is going to make you feel bad about it. Picking up the phone was the hard part.
After a long gap there can be more tartar than one visit can comfortably clear, so the cleaning may be spread over more than one appointment. If the gums have started to pull away from the teeth, a routine cleaning is the wrong tool, and we will explain the deeper cleaning involved in gum disease treatment before anything is booked.
If you are nervous, say so when you call. We can explain each step before it happens, agree on a signal to stop, and go at your pace. Nitrous oxide is available if you would like it.
Does insurance cover dental cleanings?
Most dental plans treat cleanings and exams as preventive care and cover them more generously than other treatment, often twice a year. We file the claim for you, and the plans we work with are listed on the insurance page.
No insurance? The Virginia Dental Club is a membership plan for people without dental insurance. It is not insurance, so there is no deductible, no annual maximum and no waiting period. If you plan to come twice a year, it is worth a look.
Questions patients ask
Does a dental cleaning hurt?
For most people it is more tedious than uncomfortable. Where tartar sits below the gum line or the gums are inflamed you may feel scraping or tenderness, so tell the hygienist. They can slow down, and the area can be numbed if you need it. Gums that bleed during a cleaning usually settle as they heal.
Why do my gums bleed when I brush or floss?
Usually because plaque along the gum line has inflamed them, which is the earliest stage of gum disease. Keep brushing and flossing gently rather than stopping, and mention it at your next visit so the hygienist can check the pockets.
What is the difference between a cleaning and a deep cleaning?
A routine cleaning is for healthy gums and clears buildup above and just below the gum line. A deep cleaning, called scaling and root planing, treats gum disease by cleaning further down the roots, under local anesthetic. The gum measurements tell us which one you need.
I have not had a checkup in years. Will I need a lot of work?
Not necessarily. Some people come back after a long gap and need nothing more than a cleaning, and others need more. Either way you get a plain explanation and a written estimate, and nothing is started until you decide.