Dental Cleanings: Why They’re Essential
Dental cleanings are an essential part of keeping your teeth and gums healthy. During a professional dental cleaning, our dental hygienists remove plaque and tartar from your teeth, which helps prevent tooth decay and gum disease. But that’s not all—dental cleanings also give us a chance to catch any problems early and provide you with the best possible treatment.
Most people come in for a cleaning every six months, but some may need to come in more or less often depending on their oral health. Keep reading to learn more about why dental cleanings are essential and how often you should schedule one.
The Importance of Dental Cleanings
Dental cleanings are important because they remove plaque and tartar from your teeth—but what exactly is plaque and tartar? Plaque is a sticky film of bacteria that forms on your teeth. If plaque isn’t removed, it can harden into tartar, which is much harder to remove. Both plaque and tartar can lead to tooth decay and gum disease if they’re not removed regularly.
During a professional cleaning, our dental hygienists in Aberdeen NJ use special tools to remove plaque and tartar from your teeth. They also polish your teeth and floss between them to remove any remaining debris. This thorough cleaning helps prevent cavities, gum disease, and other oral health problems.
Dental cleanings also give us a chance to assess your oral health and look for any problems that may be developing. We can then provide you with the treatment you need to keep your mouth healthy. For example, if we see early signs of gum disease, we can recommend a special gum pocket reduction procedure to prevent the condition from progressing.
How Often Should I Schedule a Cleaning?
Most people should schedule a dental cleaning every six months—however, some people may need to come in more or less often depending on their oral health. If you have gum disease, for example, you may need to come in for cleanings more frequently so we can keep an eye on your condition and make sure it’s not progressing. On the other hand, if you have good oral health and brush and floss regularly, you may be able to wait longer between cleanings.
To determine how often you should schedule a cleaning, we recommend coming in for a regular checkup at least once a year. During your checkup, we will assess your oral health and let you know how often you should schedule cleanings going forward.
Contact Friendly Dental Today For Preventative Care
Dental cleanings are an important part of keeping your teeth and gums healthy—so important that we recommend scheduling one at least every six months (though some people may need to come in more or less often depending on their individual needs). If it’s been a while since your last cleaning or if you have any concerns about your oral health, please call us today so we can help get you (and your smile) back on track!