Preparing for a Professional Dental Cleaning
At Dillard Dental Services, a professional dental cleaning is one of the most common dental procedures we provide. Most patients’ needs are met with having a dental cleaning twice per year. However, some people accumulate plaque and tartar build-up more quickly or have a higher risk of developing tooth cavities; in this case a dental cleaning should be done more often. Regularly having your teeth examined and professionally cleaned is the best way to avoid serious dental problems. It also happens to be the best way to keep your dental expenses low because problems can be recognized in their earliest stages and taken care of while they are small. While we are more than prepared to care for you just as you are, you may want to do a few things to prepare for the process. With proper preparation, you can ensure that you reap all the benefits from the dental cleaning process while feeling as comfortable as possible. So, read on if you want to find out how you can prepare yourself for a dental cleaning.
Don't Whiten Your Teeth Directly Before the Dental Cleaning Procedure
When getting ready for a dental cleaning procedure, you should avoid whitening your teeth right before the session. Many patients feel embarrassed about their teeth not being clean enough and start whitening their teeth before the dental cleaning. However, whether it is done professionally or at home, the teeth whitening process leaves your teeth sensitive for some time. So, when you try to get dental cleaning done right after getting your teeth whitened, the increased sensitivity can make the cleaning process uncomfortable. As one of the best dentists in Nashville, we recommend the teeth whitening done after the dental cleaning. Since your teeth will already be clean and free from plaque, the dental whitening process will be a lot more effective after the dental cleaning.
Take Pain Medication Before the Cleaning Process (after consulting with your dentist)
For some people, parts of the teeth cleaning process can be a little uncomfortable, and even a few might feel it is painful. Different people have different pain tolerance levels. If you think that the dental cleaning process is too uncomfortable for you, you can always consult with your dentist about whether you should take a mild analgesic medication like Motrin or Tylenol before the session. Your dentist will assess your situation and suggest whether you should take pain medication, or if there are adjustments they can make to the procedure to make it more comfortable. Be sure to ask first as some medications can increase the likelihood of bleeding making the process more difficult.
Take Steps to Control Your Dental Anxiety
Being a part of Nashville's cosmetic dentistry field, we have seen many patients who get anxious about their visit to the dentist. Fear surrounding dental procedures is common, and the best way to overcome these fears is to tell your dentist about them. We have several proven techniques to create a relaxing environment during dental procedures such as soothing music to help you with your anxiety. We also offer nitrous oxide inhaled gas to help you relax and you will be safe to drive yourself when we are finished. On some occasions we may suggest that you premedicate with an anti-anxiety prescription, and you will need a driver to bring you and take you home as it will not be safe for you to drive with this method. You should not feel embarrassed about your anxiety, it’s very common and we help our patients with it all the time.