Practicing good oral hygiene is important to maintaining a healthy mouth, teeth, and gums. It also enhances your smile and appearance, thereby improving your quality of life. This is possible through regular dental visits and professional cleaning.

Our renowned dentist in Greenbelt, MD, and their team are well equipped with special ultrasonic scalers and instruments that provide high-quality oral prophylaxis (cleaning) to enhance oral health.

What is a professional dental cleaning?

Professional dental cleaning is a common dental procedure performed by dental specialists at an interval of 6 to 12 months. These procedures are key to maintaining healthy teeth and gums. It involves the removal of plaque, bacteria, and calculus (tartar) buildup from your teeth surfaces. 

What are the types of dental cleanings?

There are different types of dental cleanings, all with the same goal of eliminating plaque and bacteria.

Prophylaxis

• It is a routine procedure for people with healthy teeth and gums as a preventive measure. 

Gross debridement

• This is an extensive procedure that may take a longer time and is done for people who haven’t visited the dentist for a long period of time.

Scaling and root planing 

• This is a deep dental cleaning that employs plaque removal from beneath the gum line.
• This is applicable to those who suffer from mild to moderate periodontitis.
• You may require local anesthesia to numb the gums during the procedure. 

What does the dental cleaning procedure involve?

Professional dental cleanings are more effective since they are performed by skilled dental specialists with advanced ultrasonic instruments. 

The procedure is as follows:

• Your dentist will evaluate your mouth to determine the extent of plaque and bacterial buildup. 
• Ultrasonic scalers will be used to remove the plaque and calculus buildup.
• Teeth polishing will be performed to remove stains from the teeth surfaces using a special rubber cup-like device and paste. This helps to smooth out the surfaces, preventing plaque adherence.

What are the advantages of professional dental cleanings?

Professional dental cleanings offer the following benefits:

• Reduced risk of oral health issues like cavities and gum disease
• Improves your overall physical health by reducing your risk of diabetes, heart disease, or stroke.
• Routine cleanings help keep halitosis (bad breath) by removing harmful microbes from your teeth surfaces.
• Regular cleanings can prevent tooth loss; thus, they are cost-effective when compared to extensive dental procedures like restorations, crowns, bridges, or implants.

Takeaway  

Routine dental cleanings are essential to maintain your best oral health. Teeth cleanings get rid of debris, plaque, bacteria, and tartar that cannot be removed with regular brushing and flossing alone.