Dental Clinic

New patients should expect to have an initial screening appointment prior to scheduling a cleaning or other dental treatments.

All work is performed by students under the direct supervision of a dentist and the dental hygiene faculty.

Appointments typically take between 2 to 3 hours as paperwork is extensive, students work carefully and the work is checked numerous times during the appointment. Depending on the treatment, more than one appointment may be needed.

Students will provide an appointment confirmation call for your visit, but please be aware that you are responsible for keeping your appointment or canceling at least 48 hours in advance.

Students must complete appointments in this sequence for their class credit and will require the full 2 to 3 hours to complete all classwork. All of this must be performed and nothing can be skipped. Please prepare accordingly.

• Exam by Dentist (DDS)
• Vitals & Medical History Review
  Note: If you have medical contraindications to dental work (ex. High Blood Pressure) we may not be able to perform work on you without a Medical Consultation Request signed by your physician
• Full mouth exam including oral cancer screening and pocket depth readings
• Full Mouth X-rays or Bite Wings X-rays as prescribed by DDS
• Personalized oral hygiene instruction
• DDS will determine if you need a regular cleaning or a deep cleaning
  Note: Candidates for deep cleanings will need more than one appointment 

Treatment may include advanced duties such as:

• Local Anesthesia
• Soft Tissue Curettage
• Nitrous Oxide-Oxygen Sedation

We are a teaching institution and are unable to assist patients with advanced cases of dental disease. If issues in the mouth are too severe the patient will not be a good learning case for our student and may be dismissed from our care.

If you are looking for low-cost clinics in your area that offer more dental health services, please use CityHub to look up resources with your zip code.

We require 48 hours advance notice (2 business days) for cancellations to allow us time to schedule another patient. If the student does not have a patient for the day, they are deprived of valuable clinic time.

Examples:

• Monday cancellation should be cancelled on Thursday
• Tuesday cancellation should be cancelled on Friday
• Wednesday cancellation should be cancelled on Monday

Those individuals who fail to keep appointments or fail to give 48 hours notice, may be discontinued as patients.

The students will appreciate your communication. Please let us know if you cannot make it and we will happily reschedule you for a later time.

Information from Colgate:

Practicing great oral care not only involves brushing twice a day and flossing daily—it also means visiting your oral care provider for a professional cleaning every six months. While these visits usually are painless and quick, they can sometimes leave your teeth feeling sensitive, especially if you received a deep cleaning. Luckily, over time these sensations will fade and do not indicate anything serious. Here’s a look at why you have sensitive teeth after a cleaning and what you can do if this feeling lasts longer than expected.

Why Are My Teeth Sensitive After A Cleaning?

Teeth sensitivity happens when the dentin, which is the layer beneath your enamel, becomes exposed due to receding gums. Remember—your roots don’t have enamel to protect them, so anything that comes in contact with them may cause sensitivity, like dental tools. While several factors contribute to tooth sensitivity, dental cleanings are a known cause, as your dental care professional may probe your gums and use tools that contact sensitive areas of your teeth.

Deep Cleaning

Not every dental visit will involve a deep cleaning, but your teeth may also feel sensitive afterward if you do receive this procedure. According to the University of Michigan Health Library, you may need a deep cleaning when your gums have started to pull away from the teeth and create pockets where plaque can get trapped. When your oral care provider performs this procedure, which is also known as scaling and root planing, they’ll remove tartar and rough bacteria that have calcified on your teeth in these pockets. According to the American Dental Association, scaling is when your oral care provider removes the plaque and tartar above and below the gumline using special tools. Planing is when they smooth out your teeth’s roots to help your gums reattach to your teeth.

Before a deep-cleaning session, the gums may be inflamed and swollen or have deep pockets infected with bacteria. Both scaling and root planing help treat these problems, but this treatment can hurt your teeth after the cleaning due to natural discomfort and bleeding. The dentist may offer a local anesthetic if your deep cleaning is likely to be more irritating.

What Happens Next?

It’s normal to experience sensitivity after a deep cleaning, which can last up to a week. Soreness and pain may also linger for a few days as your gums may be swollen or bleed. Your oral care provider may prescribe an antibiotic or mouth rinse to manage any pain and fight any possible infections.

Caring for Deep-Cleaned Teeth

Taking good care of your teeth after a deep cleaning treatment helps your gums heal by reducing the common triggers of pain and sensitivity. Wait at least a day before flossing, and brush your teeth carefully with a soft-bristled toothbrush while your gums are still sore. Use toothpaste for sensitive teeth to help treat and prevent tooth sensitivity, and avoid eating foods or drinking liquids that set off your sensitivity (avoid acidic beverages and foods like citrus fruits, pickles and red wine during this healing time). If your teeth are sensitive three or four weeks after treatment or you have other concerns, contact your dentist for a follow-up visit. They can check that your gums are healing well.

How to Avoid Teeth Sensitivity

One way to avoid teeth sensitivity after a deep cleaning is to look for ways to improve your current day-to-day oral care routine. In addition to brushing twice a day with a soft-bristle toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste and flossing daily, avoid aggressive or hard scrubbing when brushing. You should also try to avoid acidic foods and drinks, which can lead to enamel deterioration (though using a straw can help mitigate that risk, as well as drinking water after an acidic beverage). If you grind your teeth, your oral care professional can provide you with a mouthguard that can protect you from grinding down your teeth and causing sensitivity.

While the sensation of feeling sensitivity in your teeth feels uncomfortable, it’s normal to feel it after a cleaning, and it’s usually temporary. But if your symptoms last longer than a few weeks, you should contact your oral care provider to talk about your concerns.

Remember—teeth cleanings (and deep cleanings) are easy & excellent ways to maintain great oral health and prevent cavities. Even though your teeth might be sensitive after a cleaning, don’t worry. It’s normal and temporary, and soon you’ll be on your way to a healthier smile.

If you received anesthesia, don’t eat until the numbness has left your mouth.

Many patients don’t eat before their dental appointment, which means it can be tempting to have breakfast or lunch as soon as you leave the office. If you’ve just had a procedure involving an anesthetic, however, it’s important to wait until you can feel every part of your mouth again before eating. That’s because under the anesthetic, your biting may cause damage to your gums and interrupt the healing process without you feeling it.

Avoid certain foods after a deep cleaning

Your gums and teeth will be healing and sensitive after a deep cleaning, so avoiding certain foods is recommended. These are some foods that could interrupt the healing process and should be avoided following the procedure:

• Acidic foods like oranges and tomatoes
  
• Challenging foods like steaks or large burgers
  
• Foods with small pieces that could get stuck in the gums, like nuts or popcorn

Over-the-counter medication can be used for pain and swelling.

If you are experiencing pain or swelling in your gums, you can take over-the-counter medication like Ibuprofen, Advil, or Tylenol to help. Be sure to follow the instructions on the bottle, and do not exceed the recommended limits.

Some swelling or discomfort is normal.

Following a deep cleaning, your teeth may be more sensitive than usual. This can last for up to several weeks. You may also experience some slight swelling or bruising. Icing the area can help with this, but please notify your oral health provider if you experience any major swelling.

Minor bleeding is also normal.

Following the procedure, you may notice some pinkish tinge to your saliva. This is an indication of minor bleeding, and it can occur up to 48 hours after the procedure. Avoid hot foods, and do not rinse your mouth during the first 24 hours, as this can promote further bleeding. If you’re still experiencing bleeding after the first 48 hours, please contact your oral health provider for further assistance.

Rinse with saltwater.

After the first 24 hours following your procedure, rinse your mouth 4-6 times daily with saltwater. This can help to keep the area clean and free from infection.

We are a Dental Health Clinic for the Dental Hygiene program at Sacramento City College. This means that we only offer services that Dental Hygienists are learning in our program, which includes teeth cleanings, deep cleanings/root planing, Full Mouth X-rays, Bite Wing X-rays, pit and fissure sealants, fluoride application, and home-care instruction.

If you are looking for low-cost clinics in your area that offer more dental health services such as restorations, extractions, oral surgery, crowns, or dentures, please use CityHub to look up resources with your zip code.