What is dental cleaning and why should you do it at least twice a year?
Dental cleaning should be done at least twice a year because it is not a luxury but an important component of dental care. In addition to brushing your teeth, using dental floss, mouthwash, and having preventive visits to the dentist, dental cleaning performed twice a year is essential for good oral health. This simple and painless treatment can spare you from unscheduled visits to the dentist and from conditions that are harder to treat.
What is dental cleaning?
Dental cleaning is the complete process of tooth cleaning, performed by the dentist. The goal of this procedure is to remove bacterial plaque and tartar, the main culprits behind most dental issues. Since brushing your teeth at home is not enough to ensure the absence of oral diseases, this treatment complements it for a clean and healthy smile.
What is the dental cleaning process?
Dental cleaning takes place in several stages, such as scaling, air flow, and professional brushing. These procedures may be followed by the sealing of grooves and pits on the teeth to prevent cavities.
The procedure is painless and usually lasts about 1 hour.
Scaling
In this procedure, the dentist removes tartar and bacterial plaque using an ultrasonic device.
Tartar is hardened plaque and mainly forms on the back of the front teeth, the cheek-facing surface of the upper molars, and on crowded teeth, in areas that are difficult to access and where it’s hard to brush properly.
Tartar cannot be removed by regular brushing, which is why it’s important to have this procedure done periodically.
Airflow
After this procedure, the dentist removes soft deposits and stains from the surface of the teeth using a high-pressure jet device. This device sprays a mixture of water, air, and fine sodium bicarbonate particles onto the surface of the teeth and along the gum line.
Professional Brushing
Professional brushing complements ultrasonic scaling, being necessary to smooth the surfaces and completely remove any remaining bacterial plaque residue. This type of brushing is done using small circular brushes made of hard plastic filaments that make circular movements. A professional abrasive paste is applied to them, which cleans and polishes the tooth surface.
Sealing of Grooves and Pits
Sealing isolates the tooth surfaces from the rest of the oral cavity to prevent cavities. This procedure covers deep grooves on the teeth so that they don’t trap food particles or accumulate bacterial plaque.
What are the benefits?
Tartar causes most dental problems because it provides a surface that fosters the accumulation of bacteria, which over time leads to cavities. Additionally, tartar pushes and irritates the gums, causing bleeding and potential periodontal diseases.
These two major conditions are the main cause of tooth loss. Through these preventive treatments, you can avoid many dental pains and costly treatments.
Dental cleaning also improves the appearance of your teeth. Although it doesn’t whiten teeth, the removal of stains and thorough cleaning from this treatment can give you a more beautiful smile and fresher breath. If tartar deposits have already changed color from yellow to brown, the effects of dental cleaning will be even more dramatic.
Dental cleaning is not a treatment for those with poor oral hygiene. Like regular brushing, using mouthwash, and dental floss, periodic scaling done by the dentist is an essential part of your dental care. This treatment, together with a proper dental hygiene routine, can save you from many serious dental problems.
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What is dental cleaning and why should you do it at least twice a year?
Dental cleaning should be done at least twice a year because it is not a luxury but an important component of dental care. In addition to brushing your teeth, using dental floss, mouthwash, and having preventive visits to the dentist, dental cleaning performed twice a year is essential for good oral health. This simple and painless treatment can spare you from unscheduled visits to the dentist and from conditions that are harder to treat.
What is dental cleaning?
Dental cleaning is the complete process of tooth cleaning, performed by the dentist. The goal of this procedure is to remove bacterial plaque and tartar, the main culprits behind most dental issues. Since brushing your teeth at home is not enough to ensure the absence of oral diseases, this treatment complements it for a clean and healthy smile.
What is the dental cleaning process?
Dental cleaning takes place in several stages, such as scaling, air flow, and professional brushing. These procedures may be followed by the sealing of grooves and pits on the teeth to prevent cavities.
The procedure is painless and usually lasts about 1 hour.
Scaling
In this procedure, the dentist removes tartar and bacterial plaque using an ultrasonic device.
Tartar is hardened plaque and mainly forms on the back of the front teeth, the cheek-facing surface of the upper molars, and on crowded teeth, in areas that are difficult to access and where it’s hard to brush properly.
Tartar cannot be removed by regular brushing, which is why it’s important to have this procedure done periodically.
Airflow
After this procedure, the dentist removes soft deposits and stains from the surface of the teeth using a high-pressure jet device. This device sprays a mixture of water, air, and fine sodium bicarbonate particles onto the surface of the teeth and along the gum line.
Professional Brushing
Professional brushing complements ultrasonic scaling, being necessary to smooth the surfaces and completely remove any remaining bacterial plaque residue. This type of brushing is done using small circular brushes made of hard plastic filaments that make circular movements. A professional abrasive paste is applied to them, which cleans and polishes the tooth surface.
Sealing of Grooves and Pits
Sealing isolates the tooth surfaces from the rest of the oral cavity to prevent cavities. This procedure covers deep grooves on the teeth so that they don’t trap food particles or accumulate bacterial plaque.
What are the benefits?
Tartar causes most dental problems because it provides a surface that fosters the accumulation of bacteria, which over time leads to cavities. Additionally, tartar pushes and irritates the gums, causing bleeding and potential periodontal diseases.
These two major conditions are the main cause of tooth loss. Through these preventive treatments, you can avoid many dental pains and costly treatments.
Dental cleaning also improves the appearance of your teeth. Although it doesn’t whiten teeth, the removal of stains and thorough cleaning from this treatment can give you a more beautiful smile and fresher breath. If tartar deposits have already changed color from yellow to brown, the effects of dental cleaning will be even more dramatic.
Dental cleaning is not a treatment for those with poor oral hygiene. Like regular brushing, using mouthwash, and dental floss, periodic scaling done by the dentist is an essential part of your dental care. This treatment, together with a proper dental hygiene routine, can save you from many serious dental problems.
