We have all been told countless times that an important part of keeping our teeth and gums healthy involves visiting our dentist or dental hygienist twice a year for professional dental cleaning. Of course, oral hygiene must include brushing and flossing at least twice a day and avoiding sugary foods and beverages. Taking proper care of our teeth will help us keep them healthy for a lifetime. The team at Langley Dental Centre consists of qualified and experienced dentists near you whose mission is to assist you in this endeavor.
Dental Cleaning Remove Plaque and Tartar
Having your teeth professionally cleaned twice a year can help remove dental plaque and reduce the buildup of harmful oral bacteria. By removing plaque, you can minimize the accumulation of minerals from our saliva that hardens into dental calculus or tartar. Brushing and flossing are not sufficient to remove tartar which is why professional dental cleanings are important. If you don’t keep up with your routine bi-annual cleanings plaque can destroy your tooth enamel, cause cavities, and even gum disease which can lead to tooth loss.
Prevent Cavities
In an ideal world, we would all brush and floss our teeth at least twice a day. However, this isn’t the case since many people may skip brushing their teeth after a late night or if they do brush, they may do it quickly and haphazardly. If the plaque on our teeth isn’t removed properly, it will become tartar, which can only be removed by your dental hygienist or dentist with the help of professional tools and equipment. If tarter isn’t removed it can lead to decay and cavities. What’s more, when you have your teeth cleaned, you also have the opportunity to receive a fluoride treatment that protects the enamel of your teeth from cavities by helping them resist the acid attack that can lead to tooth decay.
Prevent Periodontal Disease
Periodontal disease can be quite serious and even lead to teeth loss but if you maintain proper oral hygiene and have your teeth cleaned regularly, you can minimize the risk. Periodontal disease is the result of plaque bacteria which produce toxins that infect and inflame your gums. Without regular teeth cleaning you may have issues with gingivitis or gum disease, which is the early stage of periodontal disease. At more advanced stages of periodontal disease, the bacteria can destroy the bone surrounding the roots, causing the teeth to become loose and fall out.
At Langley Dental Centre, our team of local dentists and dental hygienists can help reduce your risk of gum disease by thoroughly removing the calculus on your teeth and evaluating the health of your gums using special dental tools. With these dental tools, they can measure the space in between your gums and teeth to identify the beginning of gum disease. If there are indications of gum disease, our dentists can take the appropriate measures to effectively prevent the progression of gum disease. This opportunity to identify and treat gum disease at an early stage is probably the most important reason why you should visit our dentists twice a year to have your teeth cleaned.
Maintain Whiter Teeth and Fresher Breath
A dental cleaning is not like a teeth whitening treatment but if you keep up with your cleanings, they can help you maintain a whiter smile. Most of us consume foods or beverages that can stain our teeth, and if you are a smoker, stains can be a serious issue especially for your front teeth. Professional teeth cleaning can help remove the build-up of stains on your teeth before they become harder to remove.
Polishing
After the scaling procedure, your dentist or hygienist will polish your teeth to smooth the surface and prevent bacteria from sticking to them. The polishing is performed with a handheld tool with a spinning rubber head that polishes all tooth surfaces using a slightly abrasive paste. This procedure also removes minor stains, which can make your teeth look a little brighter as well.
Freshen Your Breath
Dental cleanings can also help you maintain fresher breath by removing food or plaque lodged in the corners of your mouth, which can cause bad breath. Even if you floss systematically, there are hard-to-reach places where it may be difficult to remove plaque and food particles. This can lead to bad breath so with regular dental cleanings, you will be able to remove this debris in your mouth to help freshen bad breath.
What You Should Expect During Your Dental Cleaning
Professional dental cleaning is not only about cleaning plaque and tartar from your teeth but also an assessment of your teeth and gums. Naturally, during your dental cleaning, you should expect that the plaque will be removed by scaling. If there are only a few small spots of hard calculus, your dentist or hygienist may use a manual scaler to remove tartar deposits by gently scraping them. For larger pieces of tartar, an ultrasonic scaler is used that uses a gentle vibration and a steady stream of water to break up tartar and wash away the particles.
What You Should Do After Your Dental Cleaning
At the end of your teeth cleaning, normally your dentist or hygienist will remind you about your dental care routine. If you have not been brushing/flossing certain areas of your mouth correctly, your dental professional will advise you to pay closer attention to those areas. In cases where individuals have difficulties with proper brushing or flossing, recommendations will be made to improve their dental hygiene routine.
Book Your Teeth Cleaning Appointment Today
For thorough professional teeth cleaning in Langley and Surrey, BC, call us at 604-455-6247 or contact us online. Remember, routine teeth cleaning every six months can help you enjoy the benefits of a healthy mouth.
