The accumulation of bacteria to higher levels in your mouth when you do not practice healthy oral hygiene may increase the release of acids that can attack and destroy your gums and teeth. As a result, you may be confronted with gum disease, bad breath, cavities, and infections. Because of that, professional dentists often recommend you keep your teeth and gums clean by brushing at least twice daily, flossing regularly, and avoiding smoking. Even more importantly, you should go for professional teeth cleaning Hawthorne after every six months or one year. You may need to go to your dentist for teeth cleaning because regular brushing and flossing may not be enough to stop the accumulation of bacteria, food particles, plaque, and tartar.

Also, some foods and drinks you consume almost daily may cause teeth staining, which may be impossible to eliminate even when you brush your teeth and floss regularly. Common teeth-staining foods you need to avoid are tea, coffee, red wine, fruit juices, soy sauce, sports drinks, colored candies, sweets, and sodas.

Subsequently, below is the general process your dentist or dental hygienist may subject you to when you go for professional teeth cleaning.

  1. Physical examination

Your dentist will begin professional teeth cleaning by physically examining your entire mouth. Your dentist will check your gums, teeth, and tongue to see if you have potential dental problems such as swollen gums.

If you have a serious dental issue, your dentist will consider whether you need other treatments before you get specialist teeth cleaning.

  1. Removal of plaque and tartar

Your dentist may rely on a small, hand-held mirror to have a better view of your mouth and use a dental scaler to get into the hard-to-reach places containing food debris, plaque, and tartar.

As the dentist removes your plaque and tartar, you will hear a harmless scrapping sound that should not worry you. It may take time to remove plaque and tartar from one area of your teeth and gums to other places.

Removal of plaque stops the formation of tartar, which is often more difficult to remove through brushing and flossing.

  1. Brushing of teeth and gums

After completely removing plaque and tartar from your teeth and gums, your dentist will use an electric brush that makes a grinding sound to brush your mouth. A powered toothbrush enables deep cleaning and removing plaque, bacteria, and tartar that a dental scaler could not remove.

Although the toothpaste your dentist uses may come in different flavors and have a similar taste and smell to your usual toothpaste, it is relatively coarse to allow scrubbing of your teeth.

Using relatively coarse toothpaste more than twice a year can destroy your enamel, the protective layer covering every tooth.

  1. Flossing and rinsing

Professional flossing will allow the removal of food debris and tartar lodged in sensitive places without risking bleeding of the gums.

After flossing, your dentist thoroughly rinses your mouth to eliminate toothpaste residues and the remaining food particles and plaque.

Your dentist will also provide a fluoride treatment to help protect your teeth against cavities and decay.

Sometimes, you may require tooth restorations like dental fillings, dentures, crowns, bridges, or implants after a dental cleaning.

Contact Dr. Michael Hoang, DMD, today to schedule an appointment with a specialist in teeth cleaning.

By AESir