Lots of people (myself included) refer to it as a "cleaning" because, well, regardless of anything else, that's what they actually do to you. I don't know anyone who goes to a dentist just to have them look but they don't touch. They clean you, too. That's almost always the only physical takeaway effect of one of these visits.

Also, a dentist cleans your teeth in a way you almost certainly can't. Their practiced hands know exactly what needs to be scraped away, and they can make informed decisions on what tool to do it with and how aggressively to not cause enamel damage. Not to mention they can, y'know, actually see what they're doing in there. So a "simple cleaning" isn't quite as pedestrian as it sounds. It's not something you can fully replicate by scraping around blindly with a metal pick in your mouth.

[–] flashgnash@lemm.ee 2 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (2 children)

I have never once been to a dentist and had them clean my teeth.

In the UK at least they have a look and a poke around, make sure you've not got any problems and send you on your way

[–] Imgonnatrythis@sh.itjust.works 3 points 9 months ago

Insert joke about British dentition here...

[–] Patches@sh.itjust.works 1 points 9 months ago

I am in the US and I've never had them clean either.

They bill you for that shit. It's $50 for X-rays and poking around. If you want them to brush your teeth for you - it's $200 and then they still want $50 for the X-rays and Poking Around Why would I pay that?