A routine dental cleaning can help improve your oral health, generally, rountine cleanings are conducted twice a year by a dental professional.
In a professional routine cleaning, your dental hygienist will:
Plaque is a sticky substance that forms in the mouth from food, saliva and bacteria. Plaque sticks to teeth and causes tooth decay and gum disease.
Calculus is plaque that has hardened on the tooth surface and is difficult to remove. (Calculus below the gum line indicates gum diseases and requires a different procedure to remove it.)
Your hygienist uses gritty paste and rotating brushes to remove plaque, tartar, and surface stains, leaving teeth smooth. They may also use air polishig, also known as a prophy jet. This is a pressurized spray of water, powder and air that blasts away stains witout abrasion.
This is the crevice around a tooth, measured in millimeters. A healthy depth is between 1-3mm.
If the lymph nodes along the lower jaw, behind the ears or on the sides of the neck are swollen, it can be a sign of inflammation.
Your hygienist and dentist will look for early stages of decay, such as white spots on the teeth, which signals mineral loss. Signs of progressed decay include dark stains, visible holes or pits in the teeth or bad breath.
X-Rays are used to show decay between teeth, bone loss associated with gum disease, decay under fillings, infections at the root, and to examine an area before any procedures such as braces, implants, or tooth removal.
Typically, you should visit your dentist for a routine cleaning every six month to help maintain a healthy mouth.
