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6 Tools That Every Dentist Uses During Your Appointment

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Taking care of our oral hygiene is extremely important, but many people fear the dentist and often avoid getting their check-ups. If this is the case for yourself, it’s important to remember the good that can come from these appointments. It can even be wise to start learning a little bit more about what happens so that it doesn’t seem so daunting.

 

In this article, we are going to take a look at six tools your dentist may use during your appointment. Let’s get started.

 

Gloves/Hygiene Tools 

The very first tools that will always be used no matter what type of appointment are dental gloves, face masks, and bibs. This PPE gear ensures that both you and the dentist are protected from cross-contamination. Blood, mucus, and saliva can all carry diseases and harmful bacteria, so having extra barriers, which also includes sterilizing and disinfecting devices, is vital.

 

Mouth Mirror

Looking into someone’s mouth for an extended period of time isn’t as easy as it may seem. There are a lot of nooks and crannies that can be hard to see with the naked eye, and they must be checked. A mouth mirror lets your dentist see from all angles to locate and fix any issues quickly.

 

Dental Probe

A dental probe is a device that is used to measure the depth of a tooth’s pocket (it’s almost like a little tiny ruler for your teeth!). This is done to assess your tissue’s healthiness so that your dentist can rule out gum disease. The deeper the number, the more extensive cleaning may be recommended so that you can maintain excellent oral health. 

 

Dental Drill

When people first hear the word ‘drill’ at their appointment, they probably start thinking about making a run for it. However, it’s a very simple tool that doesn’t harm you in any way. Its primary purpose is to remove any tooth decay, usually before filling a cavity. Not cleaning your teeth correctly and eating sugary drinks/foods could be the cause of this. To avoid a further build-up, check out these 5 best tooth-friendly sweet foods so that you can still curve the cravings!

 

Anesthetic

Teeth can be extremely sensitive, and if you do need to have some work done, such as filling a cavity or getting a tooth extraction, it can be painful. Anesthetic ensures that your mouth is numb, so you aren’t feeling any distress during the process. Sometimes it may be as simple as applying a numbing gel, but other times a needle will need to be used.

 

Suction device

The suction device may be one of the noisiest tools your dentist uses, but it is entirely harmless. All it does is suck away any saliva and debris that can build up during the examination. This ensures the dentist can complete their job without anything in the way. It can dry out your mouth a little, but it will be over before you know it!

 

And that’s it! These were six different tools that your dentist may use at your appointment. It’s certainly not as scary as it may seem.