How Often Do I Need Professional Dental Cleaning?
The frequency of your dental cleanings depends on your oral health and cosmetic goals. People with healthy gums and teeth should get professional dental cleanings every six months, which translates to twice a year. These cleaning sessions help remove plaque, tartar, and food particles, for sparkling white teeth.
Patients with gum disease and tooth decay, on the other hand, should get professional dental cleanings every three to four months or three to four times yearly. Frequent dental cleanings are necessary to eliminate the bacteria responsible for tooth decay and gum disease. Prior treatment of these conditions is sometimes necessary before cleaning.
Dentists employ teeth-cleaning techniques like root planing and scaling to ensure squeaky clean teeth despite the underlying conditions. Furthermore, dental cleaning for such patients requires more attention and time. Dentists will spread out the cleaning over a couple of sessions to avoid prolonging them.
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What Is the Professional Dental Cleaning Process Like?
Dental Assessment
The dentist will assess your oral health before the cleaning. This assessment checks for signs of dental decay, gum disease, or cancerous growth. Patients with early symptoms of dental complications will get treatment before moving to the next step.
Scaling and Ultrasonic Cleaning
Here, the dentist uses a dental instrument called a scaler to carefully remove plaque and tartar from your teeth surface. After getting the surface, they’ll use the scaler to do the same above and below the gumline. Next, they’ll use an ultrasonic cleaner that emits high-frequency vibrations and a jet of water to remove debris from the teeth.
Polishing and Flossing
After removing all the plaque, tartar, and debris from your teeth, the dentist will floss between your teeth to remove food particles and debris. They’ll also use an electric toothbrush to polish the surface of your teeth, giving them an attractive sheen. You may also receive fluoride treatment, but this is completely optional.
What Are the Benefits of Getting My Teeth Professionally Cleaned?
The most significant benefit of regular teeth cleaning is that it ensures your teeth remain white for a beautiful smile. Plaque and debris could lead to the yellowing of teeth, which could ruin your smile and make you feel self-conscious. Teeth cleaning helps maintain the natural whiteness of your teeth, ensuring your smile remains pleasant and your confidence remains high.
Another benefit of professional dental cleaning is that it helps identify early signs of dental complications. Dentists will check for signs of decay and other dental complications during the cleaning. In doing so, they can take steps to address the dental complication before it gets out of hand. Remember, far-advanced dental complications are more expensive to treat.
Professional dental cleanings are also useful for keeping bad breath at bay. Food particles can get lodged in the tiny spaces between the teeth or in tiny cracks on the teeth. The bacteria in plaque and tartar ingest the food particles and produce sulphur as a byproduct. Dental cleanings remove plaque, tartar, and food particles to eliminate bad breath.
How Many Times a Day Should I Brush My Teeth?
The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends brushing your teeth twice daily, preferably in the morning and before sleep. Doing so helps remove plaque, the white bacterial coating that builds up on the tooth’s surface, responsible for gum disease and dental decay. You could also brush your teeth after every meal if possible.
Dentists advise using a soft-bristled brush with rounded bristles to avoid eroding the enamel. Brush your teeth in gentle sweeping motions against the gumline, and don’t take more than two minutes or you might damage your teeth and gums.
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