Our dental hygienist’s number one job is to give your teeth a thorough cleaning, and there are tools that they cannot go without in order to do their work. If you’ve ever been interested to know what they use to give you that fresh, clean feeling after a dental visit, read on.
Scalers
Essential to every professional cleaning is the scaler, these are the handheld, metal tools that scrape the tartar and plaque from your teeth. They come in various shapes, but all have pointed ends and blades for every angle in your mouth.
Curettes
Another type of scaler, a curette has a rounded end that is used specifically for scraping the crevices between the gum margin and the root.
Probe
The dental probe helps us find any pockets of decay around the gumline, and it helps when we need to push your tongue out of the way.
Mirror
Maybe not the most high-tech dental tool, the small, circular mirror is one of the most important tools in our toolbox. How else can we see behind your teeth and into every nook and cranny of your mouth.
Polisher
After all the scraping and scaling is done, we buff your teeth with a small powered polisher and a bit of abrasive paste that will make your teeth so smooth and slippery that plaque will have a hard time adhering. Although, you still have to brush and floss, the polishing will help until you come back in another six months.
If you’re past due on your six-month dental checkup and cleaning, call Dr. Joseph Szymczak and our helpful team at MI Roots Family Dental. Phone: 616-453-0002. Make an appointment or come by our office in Grand Rapids, Michigan.