These days, there are many ways to achieve a whiter, healthier looking smile. Even people with sensitive teeth can take advantage of teeth cleaning for a whiter and healthier smile.
It is easy to get your mouth and teeth clean and healthy, and keep it that way. A simple routine of brushing and cleaning between the teeth, good eating habits and regular dental check-ups can help prevent most dental problems. Although most people brush regularly, many don’t clean between their teeth and some people don’t have dental check-ups.
A professional teeth cleaning not only helps to keep your teeth healthy, it keeps your body healthy as well,” explains family dentist, Ann Nguyen. “Dirty teeth are a breeding ground for bacteria and acids that cause plaque and lead to infections.”
Between the teeth cleaning keeps gums healthy and reduces plaque below the gumline. Brushing and flossing remove up to 70% of the plaque. Your dentist or dental hygienist can remove any build-up on your teeth and treat any gum disease that has already appeared.
You may think that your teeth are so bad that only a teeth whitening procedure will restore the brilliance of your smile. The truth is, most patients really only need deep teeth cleaning performed on stained or yellow teeth.
Deep Teeth Cleaning (Professional teeth Cleaning)
Deep teeth cleaning, also known as scaling and root planing, is a procedure used to treat gum diseases such as gingivitis and periodontal disease. The main goal of professional teeth cleaning is to prevent gum disease, which is the primary cause of tooth loss in adults over age 40.
When a dentist or dental hygienist cleans your teeth they remove soft (plaque) and hard (tartar, calculus, or stains) deposits from your teeth, it’s called deep teeth cleaning or deep dental cleaning. The primary purpose of having deep teeth cleaning is to prevent or delay the progression of periodontal diseases and make your teeth whiter.
A professional teeth cleaning happens in a doctor’s office. When a dentist or dental hygienist cleans your teeth they remove soft and hard deposits from your teeth that cause cavities.
Most dental hygienists recommend having the teeth professionally cleaned at least once every 12 to 24 months. More frequent cleaning and examination may be necessary during the treatment of many of the dental/oral disorders.
Teeth Cleaning Procedures. Methods for Cleaning Teeth
In a standard teeth cleaning, a dental hygienist (working under a dentist’s supervision) removes soft plaque and hard tartar (mineralized plaque that builds up on the teeth and can only be removed with professional instruments) from above and below the gum line on all the teeth. Teeth cleaning process requires one office visit and usually takes about 30 to 60 minutes.
At a deep teeth cleaning, you can expect several levels of dental treatment. The initial exam will determine the overall health of your teeth and define any potential problem areas. During the teeth cleaning, your mouth will be treated with the highest quality equipment; nothing you can try at home truly compares to this professional teeth cleaning. Then, a specialized rinse will be given, helping to provide protection and shine to your teeth.
Under local anesthetic, plaque and tartar above and below the gum line are scraped away (scaling) and rough spots on the root are smoothed (planing) to remove bacteria and give a clean surface for the gums to reattach to the teeth. This is done using a local anesthetic and generally requires two to four office visits, each lasting around 45 minutes to an hour.
Laser Teeth Cleaning
Sometimes during a routine teeth cleaning (prophy) tartar or calculus is found to be deep under the gumline. Many times it is too deep for the hygienist to reach it without the patient being anesthetized. Dentists will perform a deep scaling with anesthesia using the laser. The patient is anesthetized which allows the dentist to reach deep into the pockets of tartar and quickly and painlessly remove the tartar. The laser breaks up the tartar and it is flushed out allowing the gums to heal more effectively.
Teeth Cleaning Cost
Teeth cleaning and deep teeth cleaning can be quite expensive, sometimes costing as much as several hundred dollars. Many dental insurance plans will cover a deep cleaning, however some won’t, or the ones that do, may not cover enough to offset the patient’s cost.
The charge for a standard teeth cleaning and dental exam ranges from $50 -$135. The more extensive deep cleaning process called scaling and root planing is done by quadrants (upper right, upper left, lower right, lower left) at a cost of about $100 -$400 per quadrant depending on the severity of the problem or $400 -$1,600 for the entire mouth. Most dental insurance includes these procedures.
If you are at risk of periodontal diseases because of age, tobacco use, rate of accumulation of deposits, personal oral hygiene practices, or medical conditions such as diabetes or HIV infection, your teeth may need to be cleaned more often. Your dentist or dental hygienist can help you determine how often you should have your teeth cleaned.
Professional teeth cleaning, deep teeth cleaning by a dental hygienist, good oral hygiene is essential for preventing cavities, tartar build-up, and gum disease.
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