The Importance of Professional Cleanings - Even If You Brush and Floss Daily

Your teeth are a unique part of your digestive system; they aren’t bones, so they don’t grow back when injured. Teeth contain the hardest substance our body produces (enamel), and damage to them can potentially affect many other body parts. Dental problems are common, with nearly every adult having at least one cavity, up to 20% of people between 35-44 having severe gum disease, and 30% of older adults with no teeth at all.

Brushing and flossing — a habit your dentist tells you to do all the time — are vital to maintaining your dental health, keeping bacteria and other particles from damaging teeth, and keeping the spaces between teeth from infection. For healthy teeth, regular dental cleanings are also essential to fighting tooth decay and other tooth and gum diseases. 

We review why this treatment is vital to your dental well-being by examining what dental cleanings include, their role in your health, and how frequently you should get them done.

At Bravo Dental Group, Dr. Ayed Hawatmeh and his dedicated medical team can help if you live in the Brea, Banning, Corona, or Hemet, California area and need dental cleanings or other services to keep your teeth healthy.

What do dental cleanings include?

Before cleaning, your mouth gets examined to check for evidence of tooth and gum conditions to be sure it’s safe to continue. Then, the following gets underway for dental cleanings:

Plaque and tartar removal

A dental tool called a scaler scrapes tartar and plaque from teeth. Brushing and flossing can miss the tartar and plaque as they collect on teeth from bacteria and food particles. The dentist uses a mirror to ensure teeth get cleaned as thoroughly as possible.

Toothpaste cleansing

To help remove harmful substances from your teeth, the dentist uses a high-powered electric brush with gritty toothpaste. This step gently scrubs teeth clean but has to be done carefully to prevent wearing down enamel.

Flossing

Ironically, whether you regularly floss at home or not, getting it professionally done is still a way to clear material from between teeth. It’s easy for things to get caught where toothbrushes can’t reach, so flossing both at home and during this treatment is helpful.

Rinsing

Rinsing helps remove all the particles and debris that the other work has helped loosen, often using a liquid fluoride.

Fluoride treatment

A foamy gel or sticky paste using fluoride solution is also part of the process to boost protection from cavities and other dental conditions. The dentist uses a brush to paint the gel onto your teeth, which lasts for months.

Why are they so important?

Brushing and flossing are direct ways of removing harmful materials from teeth to prevent damage, and dental cleanings help to reinforce this and prevent problems from developing or worsening. 

In addition to lowering the risks of cavities and gum disease, dental cleanings are an essential way to lower your chances of heart disease, dementia, stroke, and other conditions that dental infections can contribute to. It also reduces problems with halitosis (bad breath) and can help decrease dental care costs as you age.

How often should you get them?

While the overall time between visits varies depending on your dental needs, you should get cleanings every six months to keep track of any possible signs of cavities or other problems. 

Some factors may directly affect whether or not that timeframe changes, such as a family history of gum disease, if you have diabetes, or if you smoke. These factors, combined with brushing twice a day and flossing at least once daily, are great ways to look after the health of your teeth.

If you’re up for a dental visit and need a dental cleaning, make an appointment with Dr. Hawatmeh and his team at Bravo Dental Group today by calling one of the offices or using the booking online feature.