Dental cleanings help your teeth stay cavity-free and give dentists a chance to stop oral diseases before they damage your teeth and gums. The benefits of dental cleanings go beyond simply removing plaque and tartar from your teeth. They prevent tooth decay and other dental complications and make your teeth stronger and resistant to cavities. At Broadway Family Dental, you can look forward to revitalizing your smile with professional cleaning and top-quality care. Schedule an appointment with Dr. Ella Dekhtyar today to have your teeth and gums thoroughly cleaned to get rid of bacteria and enjoy that refreshing feeling in your mouth.
The American Dental Association suggests that every individual should visit their local dentist at least twice a year for dental exams and cleaning to stop bacterial growth and dental issues like tooth decay and gum disease. While brushing, flossing, and proper diet play a significant role in keeping your teeth and gums healthy, you need professional care if you want really clean, healthy and strong teeth for life.
During a dental visit, your dentist examines your mouth, teeth, and gums carefully for cavities and decay. Regular dental cleaning can help you enjoy cavity-free, sturdy teeth in the long run.
Benefits of Dental Cleanings
Dental cleanings are a crucial part of oral care, like brushing and flossing, and keep your teeth bright and shiny. They help dentists prevent discoloration and remove stains, plaque, and tartar from your teeth. They are also essential for keeping your teeth and gums healthy and strong by preventing gum diseases and other dental problems.
Dental cleanings improve your oral health and lifestyle as well. They make your teeth look and feel polished, helping you smile better and more. Adults, as well as children, can benefit from dental cleaning, even if they practice excellent oral health, as a preventive measure. For people with tooth decay, cavities, or other dental issues, dentists recommend frequent cleaning to prevent further damage and keep your teeth in good condition.
Read on to find out about the types of dental cleanings dentists perform, what benefits they offer, and how often you should go for dental cleanings to keep your teeth healthy and your smile looking great.
4 Types of Dental Cleanings
The four types of dental cleanings vary in terms of their purpose and the amount of plaque and tartar they remove. The dentist will recommend the type of dental cleaning based on the amount of plaque and tartar accumulated on your teeth.
Prophylaxis Dental Cleaning
Also known as routine cleaning, this is the most common type of dental cleaning you can expect when you visit a dentist. The word prophylaxis means to prevent disease. This type of cleaning focuses on keeping healthy teeth clean to avoid tooth decay or gum disease.
Prophylaxis cleanings remove plaque and tartar from the front, back, and sides of teeth using a dental scaler or water stream. It does not cause any pain or discomfort. Most people only require a prophylaxis cleaning, especially if they focus on regular dental hygiene and semi-annual dental appointments.
Scaling and Root Planing Cleaning
Also known as deep cleaning, it is used to clean both teeth and the gum pockets to treat gingivitis and periodontitis. While deep cleanings for gingivitis are usually completed in a single dental appointment, for periodontitis it may require multiple appointments and local anesthetics depending on the severity of the disease.
Scaling is the process that removes plaque and tartar from the surface of the tooth and the gum pockets below the gum line that form as a result of gum disease. It gets rid of bacteria and also reduces gum inflammation. On the other hand, root planing is the process of smoothing the tooth roots, which helps the gums reattach to teeth and eliminate gum pockets to prevent future plaque accumulation.
Periodontal Maintenance Cleaning
This type of dental cleaning is designed to treat gum disease and prevent the infection from getting worse. Just like scaling and root planing, it removes excess plaque and tartar from the tooth surface and gum pockets and smooths out the roots if needed. Periodontitis cannot be reversed and depends on the treatment to stop, and only regular cleaning can help treat advanced gum disease.
Periodontal maintenance cleaning is different from other types of dental cleanings as it is performed more because gum disease is progressive and will continue to worsen if it is not treated effectively. Your dentist will tell you how frequently you need these cleanings depending on the severity of your case.
Gross Debridement Cleaning
These are heavy-duty teeth cleanings designed to clean teeth with excessive plaque and tartar. They are meant for people who fail to maintain good oral care or who have avoided visiting a dentist for a significant amount of time and suffer from excessive dental issues.
As plaque hardens into tartar and large amounts of tartar are especially hard to remove, the dentist uses an electrical tool to loosen and remove these deposits. Such cleanings usually require local anesthetics and multiple dental appointments. Gross debridement usually only needs to be done once, and then regular cleanings can be performed to maintain results.
If needed, your dentist may also recommend fluoride treatment during a dental cleaning for enhanced protection from cavities for the best dental care experience.
Regular dental cleaning also gives your dentist a chance to keep an eye on your oral health. They can look for early signs of cancer, stop the build-up of calculus and plaque under the gums and around the teeth, and spot cavities you may not know existed. While all these cleaning options perform the same function, each of them offers a slightly different approach according to individual situations.
Call Broadway Family Dental today and schedule an appointment with Dr. Ella Dekhtyar, our board-certified dentist. She examines your teeth carefully for signs of decay or gum disease and suggests dental cleaning based on the amount of plaque or tartar that has built up on your teeth or gum pockets. Dr. Dekhtyar also creates an oral health routine consisting of dental cleanings, consistent exams, and at-home care to help your teeth stay cavity-free and give you the perfect smile you have always dreamed of.
Broadway Family Dental
1152 Broadway
Brooklyn, NY 11221
(Bushwick, Williamsburg, Bedford-Stuyvesant)
(718) 455-4400