 |
Teeth Cleaning
We all learned the importance of brushing and flossing our teeth when we were children. Brushing and flossing your teeth after every meal everyday is keeping up with good oral hygiene. We all know how very important it is to diligently brush our teeth daily. However, do we really know the reason why it is so important?We brush our teeth to prevent the formation of dental plaque. Dental plaque is a bio film that forms on your teeth if you don’t brush regularly. Dental plaque is actually composed of living colonies of bacteria that live on our teeth. These bacteria can combine and react with sugars and saliva to form acids. These acids can weaken and gradually dissolve the enamel of your teeth. Eventually cavities will form and if these cavities are not treated, they can penetrate all the way down to the tooth pulp. The tooth pulp is the innermost layer of a tooth and it is comprised of soft tissues and nerves. If the nerves in the tooth pulp are exposed, this will result in sensitive teeth and tooth ache.
The bacteria in plaque cam also cause gum disease. The bacteria that settle along the gums can cause irritation and inflammation. If left untreated, your gums can recede, causing more serious problems and consequences. This is why brushing and flossing your teeth after meals is extremely important. It helps guard your teeth against plaque, cavities, gum problems and other oral diseases. Maintaining good dental hygeine will prevent more serious problems in the future.
Good dental hygiene does require more than just brushing and flossing. The dental plaque in your mouth can mineralize and develop into tartar or calculus. Tartar is the hardened form of plaque and brushing and flossing alone cannot remove it. Only a dentist or dental hygienist can remove tartar when you come in for your regular teeth cleaning.
Professional dental cleaning is called “prophylaxis” or “prophy”. Prophylaxis involves tooth scaling and tooth polishing.
Tooth scaling is a method of removing tartar or calculus in which a dentist or dental hygienist will use tools such as periodontal scalers or an ultrasonic scaler to scale your teeth. Periadontal scalers remove plaque by scaling or scraping the tartar off your teeth. Ultrasonic scalers loosen tartar buildup through the use of high frequency vibrations.
After tooth scaling, your teeth need to get polished. Plaque more easily forms and attaches on rough or textured surfaces. Tooth polishing makes the surface of your teeth smooth so that plaque cannot easily form and returen. Enevitably over time, plaque or tartar will still reform, which is why regular visits to the dentist is necessary for good oral hygiene.
When you come in for prophylaxis, your dentist will also examine your teeth and look for early symptoms of cavities or oral cancers. Small cavities are difficult to detect on your own because they may form in areas of your mouth that you cannot see for yourself and also because small cavities do not cause any pain or discomfort. A dental exam can detect them at an early stage and have them filled before they become more serious.
After your dental cleaning, you will feel fresh and renewed. Your mouth feels healthier and you become confident in showing your big healthy smile. Your teeth are meant to last a lifetime so you need to take good care of them.