There are two main factors that decide how healthy your teeth are: brushing and flossing every day, and seeing your dentist every six months for a professional teeth cleaning and dental examination.
You may wonder why you need to visit the dentist so often if you are quite diligent in your oral health routine. The thing to know is that even the most thorough brushing and flossing cannot reach certain areas of the mouth and clean the food debris from there. It is this hard to reach areas of the mouth that make you vulnerable to gum diseases and tooth decay.
During your half-yearly dental examination, our dentist will examine your mouth to spot any problems that may be developing. Scaling and cleaning may in fact even prevent all of these dental issues altogether.
How is teeth cleaning performed?
Teeth cleaning usually involves three steps.
Scaling: A tool called scaler is used to perform this procedure to remove hardened spots of tartar and calculus from the surface of your teeth. If there are only a few spots, your dental hygienist will gently scrape them away using a manual scaler. An ultrasonic scaler is used to break up large pieces of hardened tartar and to wash away the broken pieces with a steady stream of clean water.
Polishing: After the cleaning is done, a handheld tool is used to polish the teeth surface. Polishing will give your teeth a smooth surface that does not easily attract bacteria and plaque. It also removes minor stains present on the enamel and gives you a more vibrant smile.
Fluoride: In many cases, a fluoride treatment is recommended after each cleaning. Fluoride is a mineral that is essential in strengthening the enamel. We normally get fluoride from our diet and water, but maybe insufficient. During the dental cleaning, chloride is applied as a varnish, rinse, or a gel.
Your comfort is our priority
Most of our patients are able to tolerate the sensations of scaling and cleaning. However, if you have sensitive gums you may feel a small amount of discomfort. A numbing gel can be applied to help with that. Let our dentist or hygienist know at any time that you feel uncomfortable and we will take suitable measures.
Contact our friendly team today to set up an appointment for scaling and cleaning so you don’t have to deal with more invasive treatments down the road.
