Dental cleaning appointments have more than one benefit to patients. Like a spa day for your teeth, cleaning appointments include two phases—scaling & polishing—that together give you the smooth, clean teeth you expect, along with some more benefits.
In addition to getting a more thorough clean than you can at home—even with the best brushing & flossing, professional cleanings are necessary to get rid of all the plaque & tartar that builds up—your cleaning will also prevent serious issues, treat early signs of decay, leave your teeth looking brighter & whiter & even treat bad breath!
Preventive
Getting rid of the plaque & tartar that builds up is essential for keeping your teeth free of decay, which causes cavities & will require fillings, root canals or even more extreme—& expensive—treatment. Your at-home brushing & flossing does a lot of preventive work, but hygienists are specially trained with the most effective tools to get your teeth the rest of the way.
While the scaling phase of your cleaning removes the substances that cause decay, polishing is what makes your teeth smooth & therefore more difficult for those substances to attach to!
Cosmetic
A clean, healthy mouth is a beautiful mouth! Though your teeth are naturally white, plaque & tartar are yellow. Your hygienist targets those discolored substances during the scaling phase of your cleaning to expose the brighter teeth underneath. Also, the inner layers of your teeth are naturally yellow, so the preventive benefits of your cleaning are also good for cosmetics as they prevent decay from wearing away the whiter layers of your teeth!
Many stains can also be removed during cleanings—that’s where the polishing phase shines! After your hygienist scrapes away the hard substances, they polish your teeth to both remove stains & smooth the surface of your teeth.
Early Treatment
When caught early, decay can be halted through regular cleanings. The removal of plaque & tartar can turn around minor cavities as well as very early gum disease. In fact, cleanings can even stimulate enamel to regenerate, strengthening your teeth.
Freshen Breath
Bad breath often comes from the bacteria in your mouth. Plaque & tartar not only cause decay & yellowing of teeth, but they also smell bad. Your hygienist’s scaling & polishing work removes those smelly substances & prevents them from returning quickly.
There are so many reasons your regular cleanings are important, beyond just the cleaning. We’d be happy to talk to you about what our hygienists can do for your smile; feel free to give us a call or ask questions at your next cleaning appointment.