Why Regular Teeth Cleanings Are Crucial for Long-Term Oral Health

You want a bright, healthy smile for life. However, the only way to achieve this goal is by taking proper and diligent care of your teeth. You need a rigorous at-home dental hygiene regimen and to have professional dental cleanings every six months.

Dental teeth cleaning is essential for long-term oral health. Your dentist removes plaque and tartar deposits that can cause tooth decay and gingivitis, and checks for signs of developing health conditions.

By combating plaque buildup and cleaning stained teeth, you can enjoy a healthy and bright smile for many years to come.

Understanding Professional Teeth Cleanings

First, it’s helpful to understand precisely what happens at your regular checkup and routine teeth cleaning. You might be surprised to know–it’s not just teeth cleaning! When you visit Casa Dental for an appointment, your teeth undergo a thorough physical examination, a deep cleaning, and a polishing treatment.

• Dental Exam: Before the cleaning begins, we thoroughly examine your mouth to assess your oral health. A dental hygienist checks for visual signs of tooth decay, gum disease, oral cancer, and infection. Dental X-rays may also be taken to help identify issues that are still invisible to the naked eye.
• Deep Teeth Cleaning: Next, we remove plaque and tartar buildups on your teeth, along your gum line, and even below your gum line. This process is called “scaling,” as it requires the use of a hand scaler or ultrasonic instrument.
• Polishing: Lastly, a high-powered, rotating bar removes surface stains and lingering tartar. Many patients report that their smile looks noticeably brighter after a professional polish from Casa Dental!

How Regular Teeth Cleanings Protect Your Oral Health

Protect Against Tooth Decay

Tooth decay is a result of oral bacterial attacks. The bacteria in your mouth produce acid, which eats away at the protective tooth enamel. It also accumulates as plaque and tartar deposits on your teeth and along your gum line, further attacking your teeth. 

Brushing and flossing your teeth at home removes some oral bacteria and plaque, but not all of it. That’s why you need to visit your dentist every six months! By deep cleaning your teeth, we remove plaque and tartar buildup, protecting your teeth against cavities.

Deep Cleaning for Gum Health

Plaque and tartar buildup don’t just lead to tooth decay. It also causes problems for your gums. The oral bacteria that make up plaque and tartar irritate your gums and cause gum inflammation. 

Chronic gum inflammation progresses to gingivitis, which is the first stage of gum disease. Gingivitis is reversible. The severe consequences of gum disease are not. With quick intervention at your dental cleaning (and improved dental hygiene at home), you can reverse gingivitis and ensure your long-term gum health.

Prevent Tooth Loss

Poor dental hygiene can lead to tooth loss. When you fail to take proper care of your teeth at home or visit your dental clinic regularly, you increase your risk of periodontitis (gum disease) and oral infections. 

Advanced gum disease weakens the gum tissue and jawbone that keep teeth in place, causing teeth to become loose in their sockets and fall out. Meanwhile, an out-of-control oral infection can damage teeth and their roots so severely that they need to be removed. Professional dental cleanings help keep your mouth free from infection and disease, allowing you to maintain all your pearly whites for life.

Early Detection of Dental Health Issues

Early detection is always best when it comes to any kind of health issue. Oral health is no exception! When you visit Casa Dental for your routine exam and cleaning, we assess your oral health and look for signs of developing health issues. 

It is essential because many dental problems do not cause pain in their early stages. Without regular trips to the dentist, you won’t know if you have a small cavity starting or a tiny spot that could be oral cancer. 

Ensure Prompt Treatment

The sooner you receive treatment for an oral health issue, the better. It’s much easier, faster, less invasive, and cheaper to treat a minor dental issue than a complex one. For instance, to fix a small cavity, a small filling is used. However, if that small cavity becomes severe tooth decay accompanied by a tooth infection, you will need a root canal. Early treatment is always preferable!

5 More Important Benefits of Clean Teeth

Regular teeth cleanings are essential for your long-term oral health. However, they also offer a range of other significant benefits:

1. Fresher Breath: Bad breath (halitosis) is often a result of too much oral bacteria. Deep teeth cleanings from your dentist remove bacterial buildup, resulting in fresher breath.
2. Whiter, Brighter Smile: Dental hygienists remove plaque buildup and stains on your teeth, creating a brighter and healthier smile.
3. Boost Self-Confidence: Stained teeth and bad breath take a toll on your confidence. Regular teeth cleanings can help eliminate bad breath and brighten your smile, giving you a much-needed boost of confidence.
4. Personalized Dental Hygiene Tips: Every dental clinic visit is an opportunity to learn how to better care for your smile. Our team is happy to provide dental hygiene tips that you can implement at home.
5. Significant Cost Savings: Regular dental cleanings are cheaper than invasive and complex procedures. It’s better to invest in keeping your teeth clean and healthy, rather than paying the consequences.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is a teeth cleaning?

Routine dental cleanings typically take 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on your oral health and the extent of the procedure. When you have appointments every six months and practice proper dental hygiene at home, teeth cleanings take less time.

Will my teeth look whiter afterwards?

Dental hygienists understand how to clean teeth properly, which includes scaling and polishing. Together, these two processes can leave your teeth looking visibly brighter and whiter.

Why can’t I just clean my teeth at home?

At-home oral hygiene is essential. It keeps oral bacteria growth in check between dental appointments. However, it’s not perfect. Some plaque and tartar buildup is inevitable. 

Tartar can only be removed with specific dental instruments, used by your dental hygienist. We also have the right tools to clean hard-to-reach plaque deposits that are hidden between teeth or along your gum line.

Schedule a Deep Cleaning for Your Teeth at Casa Dental

Casa Dental specializes in oral hygiene so that you can enjoy a healthy smile for life. We offer preventive dentistry services, including comprehensive exams, thorough dental cleanings, and educational resources.

Our dental team takes pride in being your partner in oral health! Please visit our Mississauga or Toronto clinics to experience the highest standard in dental care.

To book an appointment in Toronto, call Casa Dental at 888-920-5324 or contact us here. For a dentist in Mississauga, you can call us at 888-270-8793.