What Are Dental Cleanings?

They are dental protocols entailing professional teeth cleansing. Dental cleanings entail teeth brushing, flossing, root planing, and scaling, typically performed by a dental hygienist or dentists. These dental protocols are typical for preventive dentistry, giving patients an upper hand regarding excellent oral health.

What Should You Expect during Dental Cleanings?

If it is your first time visiting a dentist near you for teeth cleaning, you will undergo a deep cleansing routine. The dentist will first perform root planing and scaling, scraping off plaque and tartar from your teeth. The processes will also repair your tooth roots that may have suffered damage from bacterial overgrowth. After these steps, your dentist will proceed with other dental cleaning protocols.

Routine dental cleanings typically entail thorough teeth brushing and flossing. A dentist will use an electric-powered toothbrush to clean your teeth’ surfaces and other parts of your oral cavity. This process will also employ special dental toothpaste packed with fluoride and whitening agents to brighten your teeth.

After teeth brushing, your dentist will rinse your mouth before dental flossing. Flossing done by a dental expert is more thorough than not, sufficiently catering to the hard-to-reach corners of your mouth.

The procedure is usually painless unless you have underlying health problems with symptoms like tooth sensitivity and dental pain. If so, the dentist will first administer local anesthesia, numbing your mouth to increase your comfort before beginning dental cleaning. However, rarely do patients need numbing to undergo teeth cleaning treatments.

After thoroughly cleaning your mouth, the dentist will administer fluoride treatment. Fluoride is a natural mineral that will strengthen your teeth’ enamels while increasing their resistance to dental cavities.

When Do You Need Dental Cleanings?

Anyone can benefit from professional teeth cleaning at any time of their life. They are preventive measures to help you maintain good oral health. However, consider the following signs as reasons to seek dental cleaning:

1. Persistent bad breath
2. Receding gums
3. Yellowish, sticky substance on your teeth’ surfaces
4. Sensitive teeth
5. Stains developing on your enamels – whether yellowing, darkening, browning or general discoloration of teeth.
6. Swollen gums that are tender to touch
7. Bleeding gums – especially when you brush your teeth
8. Dental pain when you chew

The Generally Recommended Frequency

Teeth Cleaning in Universal City, TX, should not be an everyday practice. Typically, a dentist near you will recommend having another dental cleaning after six months. However, it does not mean that no more dental hygiene will be happening before then. Instead, keep up with excellent oral hygiene efforts at home to sustain a clean mouth. This entails brushing your teeth at least twice and flossing once daily.

Are There Factors That Would Make It Advisable to Have Cleanings More Frequently?

Although you should wait for about six months before visiting a dentist’s office near you for professional dental cleaning, the following factors can necessitate more frequent cleaning sessions:

1. If you are a smoker – smoking and other tobacco usages significantly increase your risk of periodontal disease and other oral problems. Besides, smoking slows your healing, possibly aggravating the soft tissues and causing mouth sores and gum disease. Frequent dental cleanings can reduce the risk of bacteria overgrowth that causes dental infections.
2. If you have persistent bad breath – one way to rid your mouth of the odor is by routine dental cleanings. Besides, your dentist can determine and treat the underlying cause of your bad breath.
3. If you have gum disease – while your mouth responds to gum disease treatment, you will need frequent dental cleanings to sustain a clean mouth.
4. If you have heart disease – heart-related conditions can worsen if you have oral problems. Our dentist at Universal Dental recommends frequent professional cleanings to prioritize oral health for cardiovascular disease patients. It reduces the risk of bacteria traveling from the mouth to the heart through the blood.
5. If you have chronic underlying health conditions like HIV, diabetes, or cancer – these health problems significantly affect your body health not exempting your mouth. Besides, they weaken your immune system, increasing your susceptibility to oral infections.

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