Everyone should clean their teeth at home by regularly flossing and brushing. However, there are spaces in our mouths that are difficult to clean on our own, which is why we all need to have our teeth professionally cleaned every few months by a dental hygienist. As your local dental practice, our job is to keep our patients oral health in check. We do this by providing our patients with an oral exam and thorough cleaning of their mouth. A dental cleaning involves the removal of plaque, polishing, and instructing on proper oral care from home.
To break it down further, a dental cleaning helps remove excess plaque from hard-to-reach places in our mouths. Plaque is a mostly invisible sticky film of bacteria that forms on our teeth when we eat and drink. The bacteria in plaque acts as an acid that can decay tooth enamel and cause cavities.
If left untreated, plaque turns to tartar, and tartar can form a shield overtop of our gums that can cause inflammation, which can cause bleeding and the gumline to be pushed down, which in turn causes tooth sensitivity and even tooth and bone loss.
We understand that there are patients who do not wish to come into the office, for one reason or another. Typically, patients tend to skip dental visits due to anxiety, dental pain, income, or the lack of dental insurance. These are all valid reasons that our dentist can address with you on your next visit as it is even more important to care for your health, which includes your oral health. Please call our office if you have certain care requirements.
