When you see us every six months for a checkup, in addition to examining your teeth and gums, we also clean the surfaces of your teeth. A dental cleaning is much more thorough than simple brushing and flossing, and is often crucial for keeping smiles free of periodontal disease. In today’s blog, your Austin, MN, dentists explain the benefits of a six-month dental cleaning.
Plaque and Tartar
The reason you need the procedure is to address plaque and tartar. When food particles remain lodged between our teeth, then harmful bacteria will consume them. As they do, this elevates oral acidity and coats the teeth in a layer of plaque buildup. As the buildup grows more severe it eventually calcifies into tartar, and is impossible to remove with brushing and flossing alone. Over time, plaque and tartar weaken and erode outer enamel, exposing the inner tissues and allowing cavities to form. The same buildup also irritates and inflames gum tissues, causing gingivitis and gum disease.
The Dental Cleaning
A cleaning is crucial for people of all ages, and should happen at least twice a year. The process involves the use of an ultrasonic scaler and manual tool to completely remove all plaque and tartar from the surfaces of the teeth. We then polish the smile thoroughly for a brighter and more attractive appearance. The process takes a few minutes, and improves oral health while also lowering the risk of bad breath and fighting discoloration. If you have serious buildup and the early stages of gingivitis and gum disease, we may suggest a deep cleaning, which also removes plaque from the surfaces of the roots as well.
Preventing Major Buildup From Home
Home care in between these visits helps you reduce the severity of buildup prior to your professional cleaning procedure. You should start by bruising your teeth for two minutes using fluoride toothpaste. You need to do the same before bed too. You should also floss thoroughly, moving the floss tape up and down each side of every tooth, dipping below the gum line briefly to remove trapped food particles. If you have any questions about how we clean teeth, or about better brushing and flossing at home, then contact our team today.
YOUR AUSTIN, MN, DENTISTS WANT TO KEEP YOUR SMILE CLEAN
We want to help you and your family enjoy strong smiles and avoid complications that occur due to buildup on your teeth, which is why we help keep smiles clean. To learn more about how we keep smiles strong and healthy, then schedule an appointment with the Potach and Mitchell Dental Clinic, contact our Austin, MN dental office today by calling 507-437-6312. Our office welcomes patients from Austin, MN and surrounding communities.
