Having your teeth professionally cleaned is an important part of maintaining good oral hygiene. Most patients can have their teeth cleaned every six months, but some require more frequent cleanings. Patients who suffer from periodontal disease are likely to need their teeth professionally cleaned every 3 to 4 months.
How long does a dental cleaning take?
On average, a hygiene appointment typically takes about an hour. At this appointment, you can expect to have check-up x-rays once a year and a full set of x-rays every 5 to 7 years. X-rays do not produce much radiation, and they are a vital part of keeping your teeth healthy. Problems can arise within a tooth that are not visible without X-rays and may not even be causing any symptoms, so it is important to have your X-rays regularly.
Your dental hygienist will use different tools to scrape away plaque and tartar accumulation along the gum line. They have manual tools and often an ultrasonic tool called a cavitron. A cavitron uses water and vibration to loosen tartar deposits, making it easier for your hygienist to scrape away the material with their hand tools. Once larger pieces of tartar are dislodged with the cavitron, your hygienist will begin to scale your teeth with the handheld instruments. With these tools, they can reach between teeth and just below the gum line to make sure everything is clean and healthy.
Once they are done scaling, they will floss between each tooth to make sure everything is completely removed from between your teeth. Then, they will polish your teeth, using a gritty paste applied with a rubber-tipped handpiece that spins to polish each tooth. Once that is done, they will apply any necessary fluoride treatments.
After your cleaning is all finished, your dentist will likely come in to examine your teeth and review your X-rays with you. At this point, if they spot any areas of your mouth that need additional treatment, they will discuss that with you so you can work together to determine the best treatment path.
Regular professional cleanings are important because when plaque is allowed to accumulate on the surface of the teeth without regular removal by daily brushing and flossing, the sticky plaque calcifies into tartar. Tartar cannot be removed by simply brushing and flossing; it has to be removed professionally. Leaving tartar along the gum line can lead to gingivitis and eventually, periodontal disease, which is much harder to get rid of than it is to prevent.
Periodontal disease can cause all sorts of problems and can eventually lead to tooth loss.
The exam by your dentist is also a great way to identify any problem areas before they progress. They can also help identify gum disease before it becomes detrimental. Taking the time to see your dentist for an hour every six months or more is one of the best ways to make sure that your teeth and gums stay healthy for life.
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