You brush your teeth at least twice a day; you floss regularly and perhaps have even invested in an electric toothbrush.
Why then would you need your teeth professionally cleaned during the routine 6-month dental checkup? What’s the point?
This post will cover everything you need to know about professional teeth cleaning in Palo Alto, including its advantages and disadvantages, if there are any.
Difference between a professional dental cleaning and deep cleaning
Deep cleaning and professional teeth cleaning may sound similar, but the truth is, they are pretty different.
A professional tooth cleaning is a type of prophylactic cleaning. This means it’s designed to help prevent dental health issues like cavities and gum disease and is recommended as part of the patient’s six-month checkup.
In a professional cleaning, your dentist will remove plaque and tartar from your teeth via specialized dental tools. This is necessary because you normally can’t get rid of them with at-home brushing alone.
On the other hand, deep cleaning, also known as root planing or scaling, is a specialized procedure you only require if you have gum disease.
This procedure is more detailed than regular professional cleaning. The dentist will numb your mouth and clean deeply between your gums and teeth and below the gum line to remove the bacteria that cause gum disease.
In addition, they will smooth out the roots beneath your teeth using a special dental tool. This is meant to remove periodontal “pockets” that form and accumulate bacteria in people with gum disease.
Now, let’s focus on professional teeth cleaning and see why you need to get it done regularly.
Pros of professional teeth cleaning
Cavities are prevented
A buildup of plaque and tartar on your teeth results in decay. Decay eats away the enamel (tooth-protective layer), eventually leading to cavities. Together with regular brushing and flossing, professional teeth cleaning prevents cavities.
Tooth loss is prevented
When plaque builds up, it makes your teeth and gums loosen up. Ultimately this results in gum disease — a major cause of tooth loss. Via proper dental hygiene and cleaning, tooth loss is prevented.
Bad breath is reduced
Halitosis is a problem affecting 25 percent of the global population, and the U.S. is no exception. The ideal way to curb bad breath is by maintaining good oral hygiene. Besides daily brushing and flossing, getting your teeth cleaned every six months will help prevent bad breath.
Brightens your smile
Your teeth can get discolored by certain food and drinks. Professional teeth cleaning in Palo Alto eradicates built-up stains, which lead to perfectly polished teeth.
Regular cleanings provide an early warning system
Getting an oral checkup and professional teeth cleaning done is one of the most practical ways to check for early warning symptoms of more complicated oral health concerns. For instance, gum disease has been linked to heart disease and other systematic complaints. Receding gums and oral cancer also often have oral symptoms that can be an indicator of more severe health problems.
Catching these symptoms early can minimize your risk of heart attack, cancer, and even compromised organs like your liver and kidneys, which can be affected by poor dental health. Your Palo Alto dentist may recommend professional cleaning more often if you are at risk of any of the above conditions.
Cons of professional teeth cleaning
There is no clinical research showing potential long-term consequences of professional teeth cleaning.
That said; some people claim to have experienced slight tooth sensitivity after getting their teeth cleaned. But considering all the benefits of professional teeth cleaning, we believe this is a fair trade-off.
Taking care of the possible side effects
Always go to the best dentists in Palo Alto for professional teeth cleaning to avoid some of the above side effects. Most good dentists will go the extra mile to advise you on what to do after the procedure:
- Your dentist may recommend using desensitizing or anti-sensitivity toothpaste. There are several such brands of toothpaste in the market.
- Your dentist may advise doing warm salt-water rinses three times a day for a few days. Usually, this protects your teeth from bacterial invasion.
- Your dentist may recommend an antimicrobial mouthwash. This is also meant to protect your teeth and gums from bacterial invasion.
- Pains killers may be recommended to ease the slight soreness you may be experiencing.
- The dentist will also advise on proper oral hygiene habits of brushing and flossing.
The takeaway
There are numerous benefits to getting your teeth professionally cleaned by a dentist. Professional teeth cleaning in Palo Alto is painless and safe, provided that you get it done by a qualified dentist.
Our dentists are known for their gentle style that’s relaxing and confidence-inspiring, meticulous attention to detail, and patient and clear communication so you know exactly what’s being done.
So whether it’s been a while you’ve seen a dentist or are looking for a better dental experience and teeth cleaning in Palo Alto, we invite you to book your dental appointment confidently with us at Cambridge Dental Studio.
