Dental Cleaning Specialist

What is a dental cleaning?

Dental cleanings are professional tune-ups for your smile. They give Ridge Commons Family Dentistry a chance to deep clean your teeth and check in on your oral health. Dental cleanings are an excellent example of good preventive dental care and can help prevent you from having to get more extensive or invasive dental work at some point down the line.

Why do I need a dental cleaning?

Dental cleanings and exams check your oral health and make sure that your teeth, gums, and oral tissues are staying happy, healthy, and clean. 

Even if you practice immaculate at-home care, there might still be some spots in your smile that are troublesome and hard to reach. If plaque is left to sit in those spots for too long, it can harden and turn into tartar, which can only professional instruments can remove during a dental cleaning. 

Dental exams also give Dr. Nguyen a regular opportunity to monitor your oral health and treat any conditions before they develop into something more serious. Gum disease, for example, is known as a “silent killer” because many patients don’t realize that they have it until it progresses to its later stages. Dr. Nguyen can spot symptoms of conditions like these early on, and the sooner you get treatment, the more effective and conservative the treatment is likely to be.

How often do I need a dental cleaning?

The recommended frequency of your dental cleanings will vary depending on the condition of your oral health. Most people only need a dental cleaning every six months, but others might need to check-in at Ridge Commons Family Dentistry more often. Patients that are experiencing gum disease, for example, might require more frequent cleanings. Dr. Nguyen can work with you to determine exactly how often you need cleanings.

What happens during a dental cleaning?

Your dental cleaning begins with a quick visual exam. Dr. Nguyen assesses the health of your teeth and gums, looking for any signs of tooth decay, cavities, gum disease, and other conditions. Depending on the results of the visual assessment and how long it’s been since your last cleaning, she might take X-rays or 3D imaging of your mouth. 

Next, the actual cleaning begins. Dr. Nguyen or a dental hygienist removes the plaque and tartar from your teeth with a small instrument called a scaler. Once they scrape off the buildup, they use a polishing toothpaste and a high-powered toothbrush to give you a professional-grade brushing. They follow that up with professional flossing, and then, depending on your oral health, give you a treatment with silver diamine fluoride from Elevate Oral Care® to keep your teeth protected in-between visits. 

Keep up on your oral health today by calling the office or scheduling a visit online for a dental cleaning with Ridge Commons Family Dentistry.