Why Regular Dental Cleanings Are Important?
Dental cleanings are usually taken for granted because many feel that brushing their teeth is enough for their oral hygiene. The truth is, your brushing and flossing routines can clean the surfaces of your mouth and remove food particles between your teeth and gums, but there are limitations.
Brushing and flossing, even rinsing with mouthwash, are good practices, but they cannot totally clean your mouth, teeth, and gums. You need to have regular dental cleanings to prevent these conditions:
Plaque Buildup
People who have stringent brushing and flossing routines can still get plaque. Plaque is composed of bacteria from the food people eat, so the bacteria continually build up. They are primarily caused by eating sugar or starchy foods that are hard to avoid. Thus, it is likely that you are prone to developing plaque.
Plaque will keep the acid on your tooth enamel, which makes it break down faster. Since plaque is very hard and sticky, only a dentist can remove it by scraping and scaling using specialized tools.
Gum Disease
The presence of bacteria in your mouth could lead to gum disease. Gum disease is called gingivitis at the onset. Its symptoms include red and swollen gums which bleed every time you brush. When gingivitis advances, there is a high probability that bacteria will enter your bloodstream and cause even more internal infections.
If You Have A Severe Toothache
A toothache can start slowly and become severe over time. Sometimes, it catches you unaware and when it hits you, you cannot function. A toothache is a sign that you need to see the dentist. An aching tooth indicates an infection. It could be from a cavity that has gone all the way to the pulp. Gum infection can also lead to toothache. You don’t have to wait for it to be severe to act.
If gingivitis is left untreated, this could develop into periodontitis. This stage of infection can destroy the bones and ligaments that hold the teeth in place, leading to tooth loss.
When gum disease reaches periodontitis, dentists need to upgrade the cleaning procedure to periodontal scaling to remove the plaque and tartar that cause infections under the gumline.
A regular dental cleaning can prevent these conditions from worsening, saving you from further health risks.
A regular dental cleaning can prevent these conditions from worsening, saving you from further health risks.
Other Benefits Of Regular Dental Cleanings
There is more to regular dental cleanings than disease prevention. A visit to the dentist will lead to a holistic improvement in your oral health. Aside from scaling plaque and tartar deposits, your dentist will also polish your teeth. This is not just to get shinier, whiter teeth, but it will also smoothen the surfaces of your teeth enamel to prevent bacteria from building up in crevices and small gaps on or between your teeth.
Dentists will also check for possible cavities. When there are small holes in your teeth, food particles can get stuck, and it can even cause mild to severe pain. They can place temporary fillings to ensure that these holes will not worsen.
Regular cleaning visits will also allow the dentist to check on the roof of your mouth, your tongue, and other parts that you don’t notice. This will prevent bad breath.
Aside from good hygiene habits, you need to have regular dental cleanings to ensure that your teeth and gums are in the best condition. Visit our office at Lombard, Illinois, to talk to Jim Skoumal, DDS, a preventive dentistry specialist. Call us at (630) 627-5355 for an appointment.
