How Often Should I Have My Teeth Cleaned?
Even with the most meticulous oral hygiene practices, including regular brushing and flossing, you can’t eliminate plaque and tartar buildup altogether. That’s why it’s important to visit Tracey Dental for your routine dental cleanings. Our preventive services will ensure you maintain long-term healthy smiles!
How Often Should You Have Your Teeth Cleaned?
The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends scheduling routine dental care at intervals determined by your dentist to best meet your individual needs. In most cases, patients with healthy teeth and gums require dental exams and professional teeth cleanings every six months for optimal oral health.
We may recommend more frequent professional cleanings for patients with periodontal (gum) disease and those at an elevated risk of developing oral health problems, including smokers and patients with diabetes or other inflammatory conditions. When you visit Tracey Dental, we will thoroughly evaluate every aspect of your oral health to determine how often you should have routine dental cleaning appointments.
Why Do You Need Routine Dental Cleanings?
Dental cleanings remove cavity-causing bacteria, leaving your mouth clean and fresh. However, harmful bacteria begin to re-colonize in your mouth within 24 to 48 hours. Even with the best dental hygiene practices, it’s almost impossible to prevent some plaque reformation.
The longer plaque stays in place, the more it calcifies onto your teeth. Only a dental professional with special tools and training will be able to remove plaque and tartar deposits. The good news is that routine dental care at intervals determined by your trusted team at Tracey Dental will lower your risk of heavy plaque and tartar buildup with its adverse impacts on your oral health.
How Do Dental Cleanings Enhance Your Oral Health?
Plaque and tartar buildup is the leading cause of tooth decay, cavities, and periodontal (gum) disease. If left on your teeth and gum line, the bacteria they house produce acids that attack and slowly eat away at your tooth enamel, leading to decay and cavities.
Plaque and tartar can also irritate the gum tissues, leading to red, swollen, and bleeding gums. These symptoms indicate gingivitis, the first stage of gum disease. The good news is that professional dental cleanings and meticulous oral care at home usually restore your gum health. If, however, the condition continues to progress, it can advance to periodontitis, with devastating impacts on your oral health, including gum recession, bone loss, loose teeth, and even tooth loss!
How Do Dental Cleanings Enhance Your Overall Health?
Dental cleanings not only enhance your oral health but are necessary for your general health and wellbeing. Studies show a link between periodontal disease and numerous chronic health conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, respiratory disease, and much more!
How Do Dental Cleanings Enhance Your Smile and Quality of Life?
When you get your teeth cleaned, our dental hygienist will remove most of the surface stains, leaving you with a whiter, brighter smile. Moreover, removing bacteria, plaque, and tartar will prevent bad breath, known as halitosis.
What Happens During Your Dental Cleaning?
Our dental hygienist will remove plaque and tartar buildup using an instrument called a scaler, then use a gritty polisher to polish your teeth and remove any remaining plaque. The last step is a thorough professional flossing session to ensure no plaque or debris remains between your teeth.
During your visit, Dr. Long will examine every aspect of your oral health to rule out existing or potential problems. The goal of your routine dental visits is to prevent the onset or progression of dental disease.
Dental Cleaning Near Me
We at Tracey Dental in McKinney, TX, invite you to schedule your dental cleaning appointment today. We take pride in providing quality preventive dentistry services to lower the risk of serious oral health problems down the road. You can count on our team for the highest level of service. Call us today!