Taking care of our teeth day by day is essential. Respecting good habits such as brushing after each meal, avoiding cigarettes, contrasting hot-cold drinks, coffee or flossing and taking care of our gums will give us good dental health. However, these daily routines must be complemented with visits to our trusted dentist to make an observation of our mouth and alert us to possible problems such as tartar or cavities. Also, it helps to keep overall health in check.
One of the most common recommendations of dentists is to perform a dental cleaning. This will help us avoid cavities , prevent tooth loss and alleviate possible gum diseases, gingivitis, halitosis or any other symptom of poor dental health.
What is a dental cleaning?
On many occasions, dental cleaning is confused with teeth whitening when, in reality, they have nothing to do with it. Teeth whitening is an aesthetic treatment that only cleans and makes our teeth brighter. On the other hand, dental cleaning goes further, since it consists of cleaning our entire mouth: the teeth on their inside and outside, the space between them and the gums .
Dental cleaning is not, far from it, like brushing. Your dentist will use accessories and tools that will clean your mouth completely, even inaccessible places even if we do a good brushing or use mouthwash every day.
Today we can find various techniques that allow dental cleaning. The use of technology, innovation in treatment, allow this practice to be carried out painlessly, simply, quickly and easily, thus ending any agent that damages the aesthetics and health of your teeth.
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Types of dental cleaning
Although in most cases people undergo simple cleanings, they are not the only ones that exist. Within oral hygiene treatments, we can distinguish between 4 types of cleanings:
- Simple cleaning or prophylaxis . It is done to remove supragingival calculus, plaque, and surface stains. Normally, it does not require anesthesia and is done every half year.
- Maintenance cleaning . It is the cleaning that is done after deep cleanings have been done to maintain good dental condition every 3 or 4 months.
- Semi-deep cleaning . This type of treatment is carried out when the patient has not gone through a cleaning for years. Normally the area is inflamed and with more debris and stains than when the aforementioned cleanings are carried out. In many cases, two sessions are needed to be able to eliminate all the accumulated calculation over the years. Anesthesia is usually necessary to be able to work the internal area of the gums.
- Deep cleaning . This technique is used exclusively when there is active periodontal disease, which is the inflammatory process of the gums that causes damage to the tissues of the teeth . This treatment requires several visits to a specialist and should be checked every 3 or 4 months.
How often do you need to get a dental cleaning done?
Well, the million dollar question: “How often should I go to the dentist to have my teeth cleaned?” As in any aspect of hygiene and health, everything is relative. There is no exact figure, but we can make a recommendation for you.
The ideal is to go to the dentist to have a dental cleaning, at least once a year . There are people who are more cautious and for health and professional reasons they need to wear a perfect smile. That is why there are also people who go to their dentist every six months (that is, twice a year) to have their teeth cleaned.
In the event that we enjoy good dental health, one cleaning a year will be enough. On the other hand, people prone to bleeding and swelling of the gums, halitosis, gingivitis or cavities should go twice a year to prevent these types of problems.
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Benefits of a dental cleaning
Now, the benefits of having a dental cleaning are many, among which it stands out to maintain healthy, white, strong and clean teeth, this thanks to the fact that cleaning removes all bacterial plaque and tartar, one of the main promoters of dental diseases. like tooth decay. So if you want to achieve a bright, white and clean smile, dental cleaning allows it.
Here we share the benefits that are obtained after a dental cleaning:
- It prevents periodontal pathologies: it is possible to end with bacterial plaque and everything that causes dental diseases and even the loss of pieces. If you clean it at least twice a year, you will be preventing your teeth from suffering from these types of diseases.
- Goodbye to bad breath: although it is true, sometimes because of the spaces that remain in our teeth, food remains accumulate and with time between these and the tartar, most of the time, bad breath, whose problem is very frequent and occurs in a large percentage of the population. Therefore, the fundamental key to preventing halitosis is to perform proper hygiene and, if you go to perform oral cleaning with your dentist, you prevent suffering from this so embarrassing condition.
- Health in general: enjoying good health in general is reflected in the state of our teeth, therefore, if you suffer from diseases such as diabetes or cardiovascular disease, the health of your teeth is minimized, since infections can arise and affect the health of your mouth and organism. If you suffer from diseases such as those already mentioned, it is recommended that you be alert to your oral health and the state of your teeth.
Meanwhile, let us remember that the main advantage of a dental cleaning helps prevent dental and periodontal diseases, among others. Likewise, your smile will not only look aesthetically perfect, but it will also be healthy.
On the other hand, the assistance of your dentist will help you determine how often it is necessary to carry out a dental cleaning. Do not forget to go by professional, certified and experienced personnel, which helps to improve the health and quality of your teeth.
Also, the experience of the professional will recommend the most appropriate treatment to perform a dental cleaning, among which stand out: simple, semi-deep, deep and maintenance. You can find dental professionals, offices and clinics that provide this type of treatment. In addition, dental cleaning is among the first treatments that are requested when looking to show off a radiant smile, full of health.
Also, in general, when you go to visit the dentist, this treatment is commonly provided and accompanied by others, since what the specialist seeks is that his patients obtain correct hygiene and leave his office in optimal conditions: teeth white, clean, pathology-free and a perfect smile.
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