pockets 8 is similar to the protocol for cleaning the sulcus 5 however in order to sweep the entire pocket 8 the patient should rotate the angle of approach of the device and insert as much of the tapered end 2 as is necessary in order to the reach the deepest recess of the pocket 8 fig1 and 17 illustrate the sweeping of a pocket 9 in the case of very deep pockets 8 the patient may need to incline the pocket cleaner 1 to an angle which is almost normal to the occlusal plane this means that the functional point 4 may be pointing vertically down from the occlusal plane for mandibular teeth and vertically up from the occlusal plane for maxillary teeth with very deep pockets as in the protocol for sweeping the sulcus 5 the patient relies on tactile sensation while sweeping a pocket in order to maintain contact between the functional point 4 of the device and the bottom boundary 14 of the pocket 8 while sweeping through the pocket 8 the device catches material 11 on its scoop surface 10 and removes the material 11 from the pocket 8 lateral pressure is exerted on the device while sweeping the pocket 8 in order to scrape bacterial plaque and other adhering material 11 from the adjacent surface 13 of the tooth such adhering material 11 rides on the scraping surface during the sweep and is removed from the pocket 8 liquids within the pocket 8 are absorbed by the device and thereby removed from the pocket 8 the patient should repeat the sweeping process three or four times or until the area feels smooth or clean oftentimes it may be necessary to clean the device between sweeps of the same pocket.