What is Teeth Cleaning?
Teeth cleaning is one of the most significant preventive functions dental hygienists or dentists perform to achieve and maintain better oral health. Professional Teeth cleaning is also known as prophylaxis. During a dental cleaning process, a dentist removes two things that have made up over the years:
- Tartar
- Plaque
When released, it protects your teeth from:
- Dental caries
- Cavities
- Bleeding gums
- Other dental problems
The Teeth cleaning process can be achieved with specially designed hand instruments or ultrasonic scalers. Once the colours have been removed, the teeth are shiny with a prophy paste, formulated exclusively for this procedure.
While teeth cleaning can be done at home with the help of toothpaste, dental floss, and a toothbrush, understand that everyone is diverse and so are their dental needs.
Some may still require a better and more thorough cleaning, which only a dentist will deliver. This is mostly because everyday flossing and brushing cannot remove tartar and plaque fully. They still manage to lurk on the surface of the tooth.
How Long Does a Teeth Cleaning Take?
A Teeth cleaning can stay between 30 minutes and an hour. You will lie back in a relaxed dental chair during this time while examining your teeth. The dentist will also remove dental plaque and tartar before polishing the enamel with a mildly abrasive paste. Your appointment may take longer if the dentist needs to take X-rays.
Benefits of a Dental Cleaning
Dental cleaning is essential dental hygiene that removes dental plaque by scraping and smoothing the tooth. A dentist recommends having your teeth cleaned twice a year (every six months) for proper oral hygiene. More frequent visits to our office may be recommended for those with serious dental problems.
These are the 5 benefits of dental cleaning:
Brighten your smile
Your teeth can get stained from certain foods and drinks. A dental cleaning removes accumulated stains, resulting in perfectly polished teeth. There is no better way to brighten your smile than to have your dentist clean your teeth.
Tooth loss is prevented.
The teeth and gum line loosen when plaque builds up on the teeth. This leads to gum disease, the leading cause of tooth loss. Tooth loss is prevented through good oral habits at home and dental cleanings.
Bad breath is reduced.
The best way to reduce bad breath is by keeping your teeth clean. Going beyond your regular brushing and flossing by getting a tooth cleaning treatment gives you a healthier mouth and fresher breath.
Cavities are prevented.
Plaque buildup on teeth causes cavities. They eat the enamel on your teeth, which leads to cavities. Along with daily brushing and flossing, tooth cleaning prevents cavities.
Improve your overall health.
There is a correlation between your general health and oral health. Keeping your teeth clean reduces the risk of certain diseases like diabetes and heart disease. Dentists can also detect some medical conditions during an oral exam.
What happens during a professional dental cleaning?
It is best to have your teeth cleaned at least every six months. First, your dentist will check for any oral disease as well as a soft tissue diagnosis. X-rays help capture what is happening to the health of your teeth, especially below the gum line. Immediately afterwards, your teeth cleaning will begin.
Your dentist will check the health of your gums and check for cavities. Next, the process begins to remove any plaque or tartar buildup with a scaling instrument or an ultrasonic device.
The amount of time you spend in the dental chair depends on the plaque on your teeth. It may come as a surprise, but most dental cleanings take 1-2 hours, sometimes less, so the wait and effort are well worth it.
Depending on your dentist, they may use harsh toothpaste with an electric toothbrush to softly clean your teeth. This is a safe procedure; however, it should not be done at home to avoid wearing down the enamel. Next, the teeth will be flossed. Even if you do it at home, it is very beneficial to have an expert flosser to help remove any remaining plaque.
Finally, you will use a fluoride treatment shortly after cleansing. This will help fight cavities for many months to come.
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