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What is professional teeth cleaning?
Professional teeth cleaning, also known as dental cleaning, is a procedure wherein the dental hygienist cleans your teeth. However, dental cleaning is different from regular, at-home oral hygiene. Dental cleaning involves using special tools to scrape off months of accumulated plaque and tartar to minimize the risk of gum disease and cavities.
Professional dental cleaning accompanies optimal oral hygiene, and it should be scheduled once every 3 to 6 months, depending on your dental hygienist or dentist’s recommendation. Some people experience pain and discomfort during teeth cleaning, which is often caused by gum inflammation. However, optimal oral hygiene can make your next teeth cleaning less painful.
Tips to make your teeth cleaning less painful:
- Optimal Oral Hygiene: Teeth cleanings hurt if you have gum inflammation or excessive plaque accumulation. As such, if you want to make your next teeth cleaning less painful, you should maintain optimal at-home oral hygiene. That means brushing at least twice a day, flossing regularly, and rinsing your mouth with an antibacterial mouthwash.
- Take Ibuprofen: Plaque and tartar accumulation lead to gum inflammation, which leads to discomfort during dental cleaning. If you believe your oral hygiene isn’t perfect, you can take over-the-counter pain medications, such as ibuprofen, an hour before the dental cleaning procedure. You can also take another ibuprofen after 6 hours.
- Desensitizing Toothpaste: Some patients avoid brushing properly (or regularly) because of tooth sensitivity. As you experience gum recession due to age (and other factors, brushing can lead to extreme sensitivity. If that’s the case, you can use a desensitizing toothpaste with potassium nitrate to minimize root sensitivity, allowing you to brush properly.
- Brush Correctly: Patients who care a lot about oral health can often damage their teeth. That’s because they might brush vigorously, which makes the enamel wear off and increase sensitivity. You should ask your dental hygienist for the correct brushing technique to prevent sensitivity, preserve enamel, and have painless dental cleanings.
- Electric Toothbrush: Use an electric toothbrush instead of a regular one because they’re designed to brush your teeth using the ideal pressure and techniques. While using an electric toothbrush, you can simply hold it against your teeth and let it work away. Opt for a brush with soft or extra-soft bristles.
- Preventative Care: Gum disease and gum recession can cause extreme pain during dental cleanings. If your gums are extremely inflamed due to bacteria, you may also experience bleeding gums. However, regular dental checkups can help you identify and treat gum recession or disease at the earliest stage.
- Fluoride Treatment: Fluoride offers numerous oral health benefits, such as lowering your mouth’s acid levels, rebuilding the teeth, protecting your teeth from sensitivity, and protecting the enamel. You can increase your fluoride levels by using fluoride toothpaste, mouthwash, and gels. This will improve your oral health, thereby making dental cleaning less painful.
- Be Watchful: You should be extremely observant and watch for signs and symptoms of gum disease, such as loose teeth, a change in bite, bleeding gums, persistent bad taste in your mouth, swollen gums, pus formations, etc. If you notice the signs of gum disease, you must seek treatment as soon as possible.
- Regular Cleaning: Finally, you must go for regular professional dental cleanings. If you don’t go for regular teeth cleaning, you may not have optimal oral health or experience gum inflammation, which may cause discomfort during teeth cleaning. However, regular cleaning helps you maintain optimal oral health and minimize discomfort.
Why is professional teeth cleaning necessary?
Professional teeth cleaning is necessary because regular oral hygiene at home isn’t always enough. No matter how well you brush and floss your teeth, you can’t remove all the food particles stuck in your interdental spaces or the deep recesses of your mouth. These food particles eventually turn into plaque.
Over time, plaque hardens into a yellowish substance called tartar, which can’t be removed with regular brushing. The formation of plaque and tartar leads to bacterial infections, which, in turn, can lead to gum disease. However, if you go for regular dental cleanings, the dental hygienist will remove all the accumulated plaque, thereby preventing gum disease.
Do dental cleanings really help?
Yes. Dental cleanings really help by removing months of accumulated plaque and harmful bacteria, thereby restoring optimal oral health. This prevents gum disease and periodontitis.
How is teeth cleaning done?
- The dental hygienist examines your teeth to determine if you have gingivitis or periodontitis.
- Using a small mirror for guidance, the dental hygienist scrapes off all the accumulated plaque.
- A gritty toothpaste is used to polish and clean your teeth.
- The dental hygienist flosses your teeth and highlights the ideal flossing technique for you.
- You rinse with liquid fluoride to remove all the debris from your mouth.
- The dental hygienist applies fluoride gel to your teeth to prevent cavities.
How long does a teeth cleaning take?
The entire teeth cleaning procedure takes 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the condition of your teeth.
How often should you get teeth cleaning?
Most dentists recommend teeth cleanings once every 6 months. However, the specific frequency depends on your oral health, oral hygiene habits, and the risk of gum disease. Patients with a high risk of gum disease may need teeth cleanings once every 3 months, whereas those with optimal oral hygiene may need teeth cleaning once a year.
Schedule your dental deep cleaning in Montrose, Houston.
URBN Dental is a state-of-the-art dental clinic led by an incredibly talented team of dentists and dental hygienists. We take a proactive approach to oral health, identifying and treating dental problems at their earliest stages, thereby helping you maintain optimal oral health for a lifetime. Has it been more than six months since your last teeth cleaning appointment? If so, please schedule your dental cleaning in Montrose, Houston, today.