Dental Cleaning

Dental Cleaning Q&A

What is a dental cleaning?

Even if you’re the most dedicated brusher, flosser, and mouthwash user, there are areas in your mouth you can’t reach, and there are deposits, known as tartar, conventional, at-home oral hygiene regimens can’t properly clean.

A dental hygienist uses an array of cleaning tools -- from high-tech ultrasonic light to time-tested hand scrapers -- to get into places between the teeth and gums to remove harmful, hardened deposits and the bacteria that can lead to things like heart disease and blood-sugar complications.

Preventive cleanings maintain your teeth, keeping your teeth healthy and saving you the time and stress of dealing with larger, more invasive tooth problems further down the road.

What is the dental cleaning process?

A professional dental cleaning sounds simple enough, but there's a lot that goes into a proper cleaning to ensure the best-continued results.

Your dental cleaning begins with a review of your health history. You’re asked if anything has changed with your health since your last visit. Because tooth issues like gingivitis can affect your heart or wreak havoc on chronic conditions like diabetes, it’s vital for your hygienist to know the state of your health before they begin.

Next, your hygienist uses ultrasonic light to soften and break up hardened tartar deposits. From there, they use hand tools and floss to clean around each tooth and inside the gum pocket.

The physical cleaning caps off with a tooth polish to remove plaque and bring a shine to your pearly whites.

For the last few minutes of your appointment, your hygienist educates you about what they noticed with your teeth, where you can improve your oral-care techniques, and what you can do to maintain the results of the cleaning.

Why is dental cleaning important?

Gingivitis, plaque, and the bacteria that live between your teeth are responsible for health problems that extend far beyond your mouth.

A proper dental cleaning also eliminates oral health problems that can lead to:

• Tooth loss

• Gum disease

• Inflammation

• Heart disease

• Dementia

• Arthritis

• Diabetes complications

Dr. Ramjit and the team at Smile Institute Miami recommend scheduling a cleaning every six months for best results. Call or schedule your appointment for a professional dental cleaning online