Why does teeth cleaning hurt so much and make my gums bleed? my dental hygienist seems very enthusiastic with her scraping. do i really do that bad of a job keeping my teeth clean? it didn't used to hurt this much. i brush three times daily and floss most

Your : Your hygienist is trying her very best to have you leave the office with a spotless dentition. You did not say how old you are or when your last hygiene visit was or how often you get your teeth cleaned (every 3, 4 or 6 months?). Everyone is different, and you may build up calculus (hardened bacteria) faster than others. If your gums have receeded, then the roots may be exposed, resulting in more sensitivity than you had in the past. At your next hygiene visit, have the hygienist give you some instructions as to how to get into the areas that you may be missing. In this way when you do go for your cleanings, it may not be as sensitive. Also, consider going every three or four months, rather than once or twice a year if she says you build up the calculus quickly. I would express my concerns before running elsewhere. They appear to be trying to keep you and your smile healthy.

Possibly: Bleeding is generally a sign of infection or inflammation. Even though you are brushing and flossing, the technique is very important. Review your brushing and flossing with your hygenist and make sure that the type of brush and floss is appropriate for you as well.

Maybe: Although you brush 3 times per day, you may not be brushing effectively. Because of that, you are allowing for accumulations of plaque, tartar and food debris to remain on the teeth. This causes inflammation and your dislike of cleanings. You should get them cleaned 3-4 times per year and make sure the hygienist instructs you in proper effective cleaning techniques.

Well...: It does not mean that you do a bad job, there are a lot of factors including hereditary which can lead to this. Of course, you can always probably do a little better job with home care, but it sounds like maybe you may want to look into a more thorough cleaning below the gum line as well. This is called a deep cleaning or scaling and root planing.

I explain 2 patients: All my colleagues gave you some great answers & i agree with all their comments. I would just like to add one perspective in answering this question. I have known dental offices that may be less than completely thorough to ensure that their patients are comfortable for cleanings. In our office our first priority is to be as thorough as possible as we want the best for our patient's dental health.

Jule,: Going to the hygienist is a perfectly sound thing to do, however a normal prophylaxis or deep cleaning will be helpful, but is no substitute for daily removal of all the plaque on your teeth. Plaque or massive bacterial counts that accumulate, is an ever-0n going every day problem. Dental visits while helpful, will not change your problem unless you acquire the necessary self skills to take care!

Depends: Some people are just prone to having more problems with their teeth and gums, no matter how ell they practice good home care and consistent with going to the dentist. If it hurts, the hygienist might be a bit over aggressive, but it may just mean that your have a large than usual amount of plague and calculus build-up that need more attention.