If you visit your dentist regularly then you are probably used to having your teeth professionally cleaned but you might not have given this treatment much thought or perhaps have wondered why it’s even necessary. In fact professional dental cleanings are extremely important for keeping your teeth and gums in good condition.
Why Having a Professional Cleaning Is so Important
A professional dental cleaning is a process that removes hardened plaque which is a substance called tartar or calculus. Every day plaque builds up on the surface of your teeth and most of this will be removed during regular brushing and flossing. However if you fail to brush or floss thoroughly then plaque soon hardens into tartar. Tartar is a very hard substance that can only be removed by a dental hygienist or dentist scaling or gently scraping your teeth with specialised hand tools. Plaque is essentially bacteria and the bacteria contained in tartar will inflame and infect your gums. This greatly increases your risk of developing periodontal disease which is gum disease.
Reducing Your Risk of Gum Disease
Gum disease has the potential to become a very serious condition that can lead to tooth loss. This is because advanced gum disease or periodontal disease destroys gum tissue before progressing on to destroy the ligaments holding your teeth in place and the bony sockets around your teeth. While the early stages of gum disease are relatively easy to cure, advanced gum disease is quite a different matter and often requires ongoing treatment to control it. This is why we thoroughly recommend professional cleanings at every check-up as removing tartar from your teeth greatly reduces your risk of developing this condition.
At the same time, you’ll find your hygienist or dentist will also take very careful measurements of your gums, in particular the depth of the pockets in between your gums and your teeth. Deeper pockets can indicate gum disease and by comparing these measurements from appointment to appointment, your hygienist can also tell how well you’re doing with your dental health. If they think there are any areas of particular concern, they can either recommend additional treatment or can show you how to improve your oral hygiene at home.
Get Professional Education on Improving Your Oral Hygiene
Patient education is usually a very important part of any dental practice and you’ll find your dentist or hygienist is more than willing to talk to you about ways to improve your brushing or flossing routine at home. It’s so easy to fall into the habit of missing out certain areas when you brush or floss and a little bit of help can often make all the difference.
This is also your opportunity to discuss any dental problems or concerns you might have. For example, if you have difficulty in flossing thoroughly then talk to your dentist as they can usually suggest new techniques that can make this task easier or new tools. You don’t have to use dental floss if you find it difficult to manipulate as there are plenty of interdental brushes on the market that can be much easier to use. Just ask for advice as we’re more than happy to help.
Yours in oral health,
Violeta
