Advice on Regular Teeth Cleaning from our Issaquah, WA, and Renton, WA, Dentist
Regular teeth cleaning at home and from the dentist is the most important step you can take to keeping your mouth and teeth healthy. Even with regular brushing and flossing at home, plaque will build up on your teeth over time in hard-to-reach corners. That plaque buildup then turns into tartar, which requires professional removal.
At Michael J Scoles DMD, we provide thorough, routine teeth cleanings and dental exams as part of your biannual visit. Our goal is to keep your teeth and gums healthy without the need for fillings, crowns or other procedures down the line.
What does a teeth cleaning involve?
A teeth cleaning goes above and beyond the capabilities of your toothbrush at home for removing built-up plaque and keeping your mouth healthy. The process starts with our dental hygienists using a small metal instrument called a scaler to remove plaque and tartar from your teeth, doing a thorough cleaning of all your teeth’s surfaces. We then use a paste to polish your teeth and create a smooth finish. Then we floss between your teeth to clean the surfaces that touch each other and cannot be reached by polishing or scaling.
Dangers of Not Getting Your Teeth Cleaned Regularly
Even if you’re an expert tooth-brusher and flosser at home, it’s important to come in twice a year to the dentist for a professional cleaning. Plaque that builds up in difficult-to-reach corners of your mouth will solidify over time into tartar. Tartar typically requires professional removal, which is why teeth cleanings are so key. Left unchecked, tartar can cause tooth decay, cavities, erosion of gum tissue, gum disease and other problems. Gum disease, also known as periodontitis, involves swelling and bleeding in your mouth and can lead to early tooth loss. Routine cleanings help prevent this issue and allow your dentist to detect any disease early on when it’s easier to treat. Dentists can also detect signs of oral cancer early on during routine cleanings, making it far easier to treat and cure.
Benefits of Teeth Cleanings
In addition to the ability to prevent gum disease, tooth decay and other oral health problems, some additional benefits to regular teeth cleanings include freshening your breath and giving you a brighter smile. Routine teeth cleanings help remove stains that dull and discolor your teeth, such as coffee stains, tobacco stains or stains from other products. The cleaning also removes any food or plaque lodged in difficult corners of your mouth, which can contribute to bad breath. Their removal can help clear up and freshen your breath.
When You Need Your Teeth Cleaned
Like most dentists, we recommend you get your teeth cleaned twice a year at a minimum. Getting a thorough teeth cleaning and dental exam every six months helps remove buildup before it causes any major problems and gives the dentist the opportunity to catch any diseases or decay before it becomes severe. Patients who are at high risk for dental disease, however, may need to come in for more frequent teeth cleanings. If you smoke, are pregnant, have gum disease already, have diabetes, or get cavities frequently, you may be at higher risk for dental disease and would benefit from more frequent cleanings.
If you’re in need of a routine teeth cleaning, call our Issaquah office at (425) 392-6466 or our Renton office at (425) 228-6444 today.