What Happens During a Dental Teeth Cleaning?
You clean your teeth every morning and at night but express surprise when you receive a text message from the dentist near me reminding you about your overdue teeth cleaning at the dentist’s office. You wonder why you must visit dentists spending time and money to get teeth cleanings when you do it twice per day as suggested by the dentist. Your apprehension clarifies you do not have information on why professional teeth cleanings are essential every six months or perhaps think you maintain excellent dental hygiene and don’t need professional help every six months to clean your teeth.
This article focuses on why you need teeth cleanings and what happens during your visit to the dentist to have your teeth cleaned. Perhaps we can convince you to prevent neglecting professional teeth cleanings to benefit your dental and overall health.
When Is Teeth Cleaning from Dentists Essential?
Professional teeth cleanings from dentists are essential once every six months or at least a year if you are not at risk of dental infections such as tooth decay, gum disease, or other issues. On the other hand, you benefit from frequent dentist visits if you are at high risk of the problems mentioned. Furthermore, an August body no less than the American Dental Association, besides dentists, suggests you get your teeth professionally cleaned twice annually to prevent and treat infections in your mouth early before they aggravate to need intensive treatments at high prices. Therefore staying on top of your dental health proves beneficial in multiple ways, including financially to receive the cleanings every six months.
The Process Involved in Teeth Cleaning
When you schedule your appointment for teeth cleanings, you initially receive dental exams in Encinitas, CA, when a dental hygienist uses small mirrors to look behind your teeth for inflamed gums and cavities and refers you to the dentist if they observe any abnormalities. X-rays of your teeth also help the dentist identify cavities between your teeth if present to treat them immediately before they expand. If not, the hygienist proceeds to clean your teeth using various steps to ensure they leave you with brighter teeth and a healthier mouth.
The teeth cleaning process focuses on removing plaque and tartar from your teeth and below the gum line. Plaque constantly forms on your teeth and hardens into tartar within two days. Tartar is non-removable by brushing and needs help from a dental professional for removal.
You may think the scraping by the hygienist is uncomfortable or even painful, especially if you have avoided dental cleanings for over a year. However, you benefit from tartar removal because if left on your teeth, you soon become a victim of gingivitis, the earliest stage of gum disease. Non-removal of plaque from your teeth also results in the development of cavities that might need fillings and root canal treatments if left untreated.
After plaque and tartar removal, more discomfort awaits you because the hygienist uses a high-powered electric toothbrush with gritty toothpaste to brush your teeth to remove any excess plaque remaining between your teeth. Although uncomfortable, the brushing also polishes your teeth to make them appear brighter than before.
After the scraping and brushing, you receive a flossing demonstration that you might think it’s pointless because you floss your teeth every day at home. However, nothing beats professional dental flossing, where the hygienist gets deep between your teeth to identify trouble spots that might bleed. In addition, the demonstration also teaches you the proper technique to floss when using this tool to clean your teeth at home.
Finally, the hygienist requests you rinse your mouth and receive a fluoride treatment to help battle against dental cavities for several months. The fluoride strengthens tooth enamel, making it challenging for your mouth bacteria to penetrate and cause holes in your tooth.
After your teeth cleaning, the hygienist and the dentist in Leucadia discuss your need for replacements or restoration if any exist in your mouth and techniques to prevent untoward dental issues by inquiring into your diet and dental hygiene practices. If necessary, the professionals recommend changes to your diet and dental hygiene routine and suggest you visit them at six monthly intervals to ensure optimal dental health.
Teeth cleanings are relatively straightforward and completed within the hour by dental professionals. The process is painless and will likely not cause anxiety unless you have dental issues that you left untreated or excessive tartar that might need a deep cleaning and maintenance to prevent severe problems.
Steve B Horne, DDS — Encinitas, CA, recommends dental teeth cleanings for everyone, including children, at six monthly intervals. The cleanings are straightforward and a preventive measure to help against severe dental problems. If you need dental cleanings in Encinitas, kindly schedule your appointment with this practice to benefit financially from the process.