Does your dental hygienist have to scrape bacterial plaque from your teeth at each teeth cleaning appointment.

Sure.

Yes, It seems strange to me. I often wonder if the plaque isn’t supposed to be there to protect our teeth.

I only go twice a year, but I do get scraped each time. And I do everything you do. Sonic electric toothbrush, floss, water pick and mouthwash each day.
Good point @YARNLADY. Maybe it is supposed to be there . At least a small amount.

I have a toothbrush an electruc toothbrush and interdental brushes and still get plaque build up. My dentist removes it around twice a year, an eye watering procedure but maybe that’s what it takes.

Yes, but very little. My dentist actually has some other tool she uses also that blasts it, so you feel almost nothing, but either way, I have very little plaque or tartar build up.

I usually go to the dentist once a year the last ten years, but I am going to increase it now that I am getting older. I credit my toothbrush. I brush and I use mouth wash. I floss, but not well, not between all teeth every time.

I told my mom to switch to my toothbrush, and the last time she went to the hygienist, the hygienist told her that she saw less build up this time. We can’t know for sure if it was the toothbrush, but I think so.

The plaque comes from the saliva in your mouth, not from food. Anyway, that’s what the hygienist said.

Quit drooling, perv!

Interesting…everything you ever wanted to know about plaque:

Q: How does saliva affect plaque buildup on the teeth?

A: American Dental Association

“Saliva plays an important role in the development and maintenance of a healthy plaque biofilm. Proteins from saliva enable the biofilm to attach to the tooth’s surface. After a tooth is cleaned, its enamel surfaces quickly become coated with a salivary protein film, the pellicle. The pellicle supports the attachment of free-floating bacteria (planktonic) that are the first settlers of a new biofilm. As bacteria begin to attach to one another, they pave the way for attachment by other bacteria in a very specific order and pattern. Over the course of about three days, as plaque biofilm grows to maturity, it depends mainly on saliva for nutrition and the removal of waste. As the biofilm approaches maturity, it releases planktonic bacteria back into the saliva. Saliva then transports these free-floating bacteria to sites where a new biofilm will form.”

“Passive and active immune proteins within saliva regulate the growth and movement of the plaque biofilm. There is strong evidence today that the microbes and immune system have evolved together and they work as a team to prevent visiting microorganisms from residing in the mouth. The mature plaque biofilm also is dependent on salivary flow. When flow is reduced the various organisms and structures within the biofilm undergo changes that often lead to inflammatory changes in the supporting tissues.”

So, we need that spit in our mouths!

We all gonna die!

Thanks for your responses.

I was hoping to impress my dental hygienist at my last appointment with my plaque free teeth. But she was stern (almost scolded) with me about the plaque around my bottom incisor teeth (same as last time). She never mentioned “tartar” which I think is an unchecked plaque buildup.

At the end of the teeth cleaning she did give me some encouragement saying that I’m doing a much better job of removing plaque on the teeth on the left side of my mouth. That’s likely because I’m right handed and I have a little arthritis in my right hand.

About mouth bacteria. The mouth is like a utopia for bacteria. If left unchecked the bacteria will fairly quickly cause great harm to the teeth and our health. There’s no stopping the bacteria completely. It’s a constant never ending losing battle. If we want good health and good teeth then we fight. And fight hard. Those who don’t put in the effort will likely lose the battle rather quickly.

Good health!

I used to have a lot of that. Using a Sonicare, with its small brush head, helped me get into more cramped places. I still have to hold it at the correct angles to allow the brush to do its thing. The brush goes side to side so I have to hold it at various angles to clean vertical areas and horizontal areas.

I have one word for you: flossing.

Floss your teeth, carefully and thoroughly, every night, and you won’t get plaque buildup (or, at least not very much). I never have a problem.

@RocketGuy Thanks. I’ll try getting a small brush head for my Sonicare and work the brush to get at more aspects of each tooth.

@Love_my_doggie Do use waxed floss or in waxed floss?

I’ve been using waxed floss because my teeth are so close together and it’s hard to get the floss between the teeth. But I imagine that un waxed floss would do a better job of cleaning the plaque off.

I have no idea. She/he does their work without describing detailing the condition of my mouth.

On this topic, my last dental cleaning was at the hands of a wonderful hygienist who gave me an exposition on the need for flossing, gum health, and proper brushing. She explained how the the consequences of slacking can be as severe as heart problems.

If she had taught me from a young age maybe I would have fewer cavities, root canals, and heart attacks under my belt!

That is part of what that appointment is for. The longer and harder they scrape, the more you have.
“Yeah Mom, I brushed my teeth”

@gondwanalon Unwaxed. I believe it might be more effective than the waxed product.

Well. I get to go in for a root canal on 3 13.

@Dutchess_III – I hope you are going to an Endodontist and get relatively pain free treatment. My first root canal was done by a cosmetic dentist => summer of pain and complaint to the local dental board. My next root canal was done by an Endodontist with the charm of Lt. Data. But he did it with robotic precision and minimal pain.

@Dutchess_III Sorry that you need a root canal. Hoping that you get the best possible result.

I had a root canal done last September from my dentist who is an absolute master of dentistry. It’s a molar with three roots. The tooth gave me a lot of pain (and I mean a lot of pain) before the root canal but not much after. No pain at all after a couple days. My dentist explained to me before the root canal that there is no guarantee in my case for a positive outcome because of my tooth is so old (73 years). Old teeth have degenerated root canals that make them hard to find.

But I trust my dentist absolutely. Been going to him for about 20 years. Did a great job putting in an implant about.

We will see! Not happy about it but my dentist recommended it.

If the nerves have gone too far downhill, then it’s better to do it. I had one tooth nerve deteriorate by itself a few years ago, which needed a root canal. I have another tooth that is getting iffy. Getting old – parts wearing out.

All my nerves are about shot!