Yes, absolutely! Even with regular brushing and flossing, there are always leftover remnants of plaque on your teeth that does not get brushed away. This plaque can harden and form tartar, which can only be removed with a dental cleaning. If this tartar and plaque are not addressed and removed, it can cause mild to severe oral health issues. The longer patients go without regular cleanings, the more severe the problems may be. Dr. Alexander and our hygienist team will be sure to educate you on the best at home habits for cleaning your teeth and we’ll be sure to make sure you come into the office every 6 months.

Our hygienist will start by removing plaque and tarter with a small mirror to help guide us through your mouth. The mirror allows us to see our teeth from every angle. Using a scaler, a pointy little tool your hygienist will scrape away the plaque and tartar around your gum line, as well as in between your teeth.

The most honest answer we can give you is that it’s a different experience for each patient. Some of our patients don’t feel any pain or have very little sensitivity to the cleanings.  For patients who have deep gum pockets or sensitive teeth,  it may be a little uncomfortable. Our dental team here at Alexander Family Dental is always focused on your comfort, we will check in with you on your comfort level throughout the whole cleaning to make sure it’s a good experience. For patients who do experience pain during normal or deep cleanings, we have local anesthetics and numbing gels that make a big difference in managing the discomfort. For the kiddos or the big kiddos (the parents) that are nervous at the dentist we have some helpful laughing gas (nitrous oxide) that will be sure to help eliminate the “dental jitters”

During your dental check-up or first appointment with our office, you can expect a few things to happen. Our office is very thorough when it comes to assessing your dental health. Here is usually what happens, We will examine your teeth, gums, and mouth and we’ll take some x-rays to help do this while giving us a more detailed understanding of what is happening with your teeth. Our team will be asking you lots of questions about your general health and any problems you’ve had with your teeth, mouth or gums since your last visit. We will give you any necessary advice about maintaining proper oral hygiene and can help with pointing you in the right direction of healthy habits to maintain your smile.