Many questions may cross your mind when you’re at the dentist. We encourage you to ask them as you think about them, but here are some answers to common questions, in case you’d rather read them from the comfort of your own computer.

1. Can you tell if I lie about flossing?

We always ask you about flossing, but the truth is, we can usually tell if you’re an avid flosser or not. If you don’t floss regularly, your gums will typically become inflamed or even bleed when we floss them. The length and depth of your cleaning is also a good indicator – we dedicate most of your cleaning to clearing the plaque build up under your gums, which is a clear indicator of how often you floss.

2. Where do I look during my cleaning?

Great question. Sometimes being at the dentist can feel like you’re just being stared at for an hour. Good news, we’re only staring at your teeth. Look where you feel comfortable – at the ceiling, at the wall, or you can even close your eyes. 

3. Is gum bad for your teeth?

The answer to this one is “it depends.” Sugar-free gum is actually good for your teeth. It stimulates salivation, and saliva is one of the ways that your mouth cleans itself after you eat. Your saliva is packed with good bacteria that break down food. On the other hand, if you’re eating gum packed with sugar, it isn’t good for your teeth because the sugar can stick and cause tooth decay.

4. What is actually happening during a routine cleaning?

So you sit down in the dental chair. What’s next? First, the hygienist will use a tiny mirror to check around your mouth for any areas that need a little extra attention. Next, we work on your plaque and tartar build-up with a scaler. The more tartar you have, the longer it takes. After this, we brush your teeth with a high-powered electric toothbrush and gritty toothpaste that polishes your teeth. Next, we floss, rinse, and finish with fluoride. Sometimes we’ll do dental x-rays to further examine your teeth.

5. What do all the numbers mean?

There are several reasons you’ll hear us shout out a bunch of numbers. You’ll often hear us referencing one through 32. Typically we go through all of your teeth and relay what we are seeing to the hygienist – if specific teeth look healthy or not. In the US, we use the Universal Numbering System. Your top-right molar is number 1, going around to number 16 which is your top-left molar. Then we drop down to your bottom left molar for number 17 and finish by going around your bottom teeth to number 32, your bottom right molar. Many dentists will also measure your gum depth using a count of one through four.

If you have any questions at all, contact us!