Why a Professional Dental Cleaning is Vital to Good Oral Health

Request An Appointment

Use the form below or call today us at:
(480) 396.9900 – East Mesa (480) 610.5100 – West Mesa

Why a Professional Dental Cleaning is Vital to Good Oral Health

We all know how important it is to brush our teeth at least twice a day and floss every night, but many people don’t realize how crucial it is to visit their dentist for regular cleanings. Professional cleanings are more than just having your teeth polished and brushed with your standard toothbrush. Understanding the importance of professional dental cleanings and why you need to go for them will help you keep your teeth in great shape.

How Often Should You Get Cleanings?
Dentists recommend that you go for a professional dental cleaning twice a year as part of your bi-annual checkup. Your bi-annual checkup will include a short series of x-rays, comprehensive examination and a thorough cleaning that is typically done by a licensed dental hygienist. Unfortunately, a good majority of people forgo the dental office altogether, which means they aren’t getting their teeth professionally cleaned as often as they should.

Why are Professional Cleanings So Important?
Many patients have the misconception that a dental cleaning isn’t a big deal and it’s something they can obtain with proper brushing habits at home. Dental cleanings normally involve the use of tools, known as dental scalers, to carefully and methodically scrape debris off of the teeth. As time passes, calcified plaque can accumulate on your teeth. This plaque is often found on the backs and fronts of the lower teeth because this is where the saliva ducts are present. This hardened plaque cannot be removed with brushing and flossing alone. It has to be removed by a dental professional using specialized tools. Also, staining on the teeth can be removed with these same dental scalers, so if your teeth are looking a little browned in spots and you’ve used over-the-counter whitening treatments with little success, a dental cleaning can do wonders.

What Can Happen if You Avoid Regular Cleanings?
Avoiding your bi-annual dental cleaning can be problematic for many reasons. For one, cavities can form behind the hardened plaque because it is essentially eating away at the enamel of the teeth. It’s not terribly uncommon for people to have cavities that need to be filled after going for a cleaning because this decay was revealed after the hardened plaque was removed. Also, your smile may not be as bright and beautiful as it can be when you avoid cleanings, so it’s important to make it a habit to visit our local Mesa, AZ Dental office.

Share this post!

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email

Why a Professional Dental Cleaning is Vital to Good Oral Health

Cosmetic Dentistry Virtual Consultation