Why Getting Regular Dental Cleanings Is Important for Oral Health

Getting a routine dental cleaning at least two times each year protects your teeth against tooth decay and gum disease. These routine appointments also include an examination of the patient’s mouth, looking for developing issues like poor teeth alignment.

The American Dental Association recommends getting a routine dental cleaning at least two times each year. This ensures tartar deposits are removed from teeth surfaces before significant damage is done to teeth or gum tissues.

Tartar is calcified plaque that builds up on teeth surfaces. It can ruin the appearance of a person’s teeth, and it houses bacteria and teeth-destroying acids. Tartar cannot be removed by brushing and flossing, so it builds up on teeth between dental appointments. A dentist uses a metal scaler to remove it during professional teeth cleaning.

How professional dental cleaning protects your oral health

Here are some of the ways getting routine dental cleanings as recommended by a dentist helps to protect your teeth and gums:

1. Keeps decay and gum disease at bay

Tooth decay and gum disease are both caused by oral bacteria in the mouth. Teeth structures are damaged by the acids these microorganisms excrete, and gum disease is caused by plaque and tartar (calcified plaque) building up below the gumline. Getting dental cleanings helps to get rid of tartar buildup on teeth, protecting against gum disease and tooth decay.

2. Leads to early detection of issues

Dentists typically examine their patients’ teeth before performing teeth cleaning. This provides an opportunity to detect any developing issues in their infancy. Generally speaking, the earlier dental issues are detected, the cheaper and easier it is to treat them. For example, the early stages of tooth decay can be reversed with a fluoride treatment, while the early stage of gum disease can be reversed with teeth cleanings, deep cleanings, and improved oral hygiene.

3. Opportunity to educate patients about oral hygiene

Good oral hygiene is the most effective thing anyone can do to keep their teeth and gums healthy. However, many people can use a few pointers on how to take better care of their teeth. Dentists have all the information they need.

For example, a dentist might notice that some of a patient’s teeth have more tartar deposits on them than others, which can be a sign the teeth with greater tartar accumulation might not be getting cleaned properly. The dentist can use the opportunity to educate the patient about proper brushing techniques.

4. Restorative treatments can be performed

Dentists often perform treatments for dental issues detected during teeth cleaning during the same appointment. For example, if the dentist notices some of the patient’s teeth are in the early stages of decay, a fluoride treatment can be administered. It only takes a few minutes.