Professional Teeth Cleaning

Benefits
Your oral health depends on two factors: your willingness to brush and floss regularly and your commitment to seeing your dentist every six months for an oral exam and professional teeth cleaning. You may wonder why you need to visit the dental professional so often if you are taking great care of your teeth and gums on your own, but even the most diligent patients can miss hard-to-reach areas of the mouth and leave themselves vulnerable to tooth decay and periodontal disease. Your six-month oral exam will ensure that your dentist spots any problems early in their development, but professional teeth cleaning may prevent those oral health issues, the most devastating of which is periodontal disease, all together.

Professional Teeth Cleaning to Prevent Periodontal Disease
Most commonly referred to as “gum disease,” periodontal disease begins with plaque, the sticky biofilm that continually forms in your mouth. Brushing twice a day and flossing at least once daily can help you remove plaque before it causes any problems. However, many patients have trouble removing every bit of this sticky substance, especially along the gumline and between teeth that are crooked or crowded. If plaque is not removed within about 48 hours after it forms, it begins to calcify into tartar, a hard substance that cannot be removed with brushing or flossing. However, your dental hygienist can remove these stubborn deposits with a special instrument. Having tartar removed can help prevent gum disease and keep the earliest stages of the condition (gingivitis) from progressing to the more advanced and irreversible stages (periodontitis).