Why teeth hurt when you get them cleaned

Do you wonder why your teeth hurt when you get them cleaned?   If only dental cleans could be totally painless you would be visiting 6 monthly with no hesitation!   The good news is that with regular professional cleaning your set of well maintained teeth and gums will not hurt when you get them cleaned.  The longer the time left between cleans the more calcified plaque – called calculus – builds up on your teeth and becomes firmly stuck.   It becomes a similar situation to washing the dishes which can be an easy job if tackled straight away, but left for hours becomes a mess of hard dried on food.

For people with gum disease it is even more likely to have your teeth hurt when you get them cleaned because the calculus is going down the root of the tooth below the gum line.  Rest assured that if you have gum disease or a lot of calculus I will take steps so I can prevent having your teeth hurt.  I use local anaesthetic for a deep clean so there is no pain.   Topical anaesthetic which wears off quickly can also be applied for some cases.   I have happy gas available if you are nervous during cleaning and for comfort.

The equipment used by the dentist really affects whether your teeth hurt when you get them cleaned.   I have air flow cleaning which is the most modern and comfortable way to remove calculus.   Air flow cleaning is a mixture of powder, water and air like a high pressure cleaner you might use on surfaces around the home.   There is nothing sharp or scraping with air flow cleaning.   I still sometimes need to use an ultrasonic tip or hand scaler on really stubborn areas but this is very minimal and my ultrasonic tips are a finer tip especially for use on sensitive teeth.

If you have sensitive teeth it’s a good idea to use sensitive toothpaste for a couple of weeks before your cleaning visit if possible to prevent hurt when you get them cleaned.   Please mention at your visit if you do get pain so I can help you.

The best way to minimise pain from teeth cleaning is to visit regularly.   There will be less calculus and what is there will come off  more easily so you’ll be finished and on your way with a whiter, fresher smile and protection from gum disease and dental decay.