Never underestimate the power of a gorgeous smile. How many pictures of smiling models in magazines have yellow or dirty looking teeth? None! When you flash your smile at someone, do you ever think about the impact it has on them? A smile makes a big impression, and you want that smile to be as pleasant looking as possible. Maybe you cannot afford those expensive teeth whitening sessions, but keeping up with regular teeth cleaning routine is important for both your appearance and your health.

The benefits of a teeth cleaning go beyond maintaining that attractive smile. It helps keep your breath presentable as well. You also want to have teeth in your mouth when you smile, and a teeth cleaning helps keep them there. Overall health is directly linked to teeth cleaning as well. Oral cancer can be prevented or detected early at cleaning, as well as gum disease. There have been studies done that have also linked heart attacks and strokes to dental health. So it seems that your life may also depend on the health of your teeth!

Routine teeth cleanings should be scheduled for every 6 months, sometimes more frequently than that if you have issues such as gum disease or if you simply want to keep your teeth sparkly clean and your gums healthier. No matter how often you brush or floss, there are still areas of your teeth that cannot be reached with a toothbrush or floss. Also, a hardened substance, called tartar, cannot be removed by typical home dental care. It is tartar buildup that leads to such things as cavities, gingivitis and other gum or tooth diseases. A good cleaning also keeps up with your teeth’s appearance aesthetically.

There is nothing to be afraid of regarding your teeth cleaning visit. There should be minimal discomfort if any at all, and no pain involved. If it is regular cleaning, we refer to it as “prophylaxis”. During the prophylaxis, the cleaning will not take as much work nor will they last as long. If it has been a very long time since your last cleaning, you need scaling and root planing. To make it a bit easier for the average person to understand the term, you may hear “deep scaling”. An anesthetic may be needed due to the intensity of the first part of the cleaning; oftentimes in our offices, we use a strong and special topical gel. A typical cleaning session will include scaling, removal of tartar, and plaque. During your cleaning visit, it is an opportunity to find any problems with your teeth, so they can be fixed before turning into bigger problems for you.