What is a Teeth Cleaning?

Dental services like regular teeth cleaning help ensure a healthy smile for your future. During a professional cleaning, your hygienist removes debris, plaque, tartar, and unsightly biofilm from your teeth. After the process, they will polish and floss your teeth, leaving them with a clean, smooth appearance. It is recommended to have this treatment every six months to a year. When your teeth are healthy, your gums are healthy. Brushing and flossing your teeth at home between cleaning intervals helps ensure your oral cavity stays free of bacteria.

How Do Your Teeth Get Dirty?

Food and drink particles get stuck on your enamel and in your gums. Improper and infrequent brushing causes a build-up of plaque and tartar. Plaque also forms as you sleep and move around. Some people may develop biofilm made up of microorganisms that stick together. These bacteria and fungi lead to cavities and can only be removed with specialized dental tools.

Do you consume a lot of food and drink with staining ingredients? Though teeth discolour naturally over time, this speeds up the process. Regular dental cleanings help get rid of extrinsic stains.

What Happens During a Dental Cleaning?

Your dental hygienist will do a physical exam of your mouth and surrounding areas to ensure there are no signs of oral cancer, gingivitis, or other concerns. They will then proceed with the following steps:

• Step 1: Scaling – This is where your dental hygienist removes plaque and tartar between your teeth and around your gum line.

• Step 2: Polishing – Prescription strength polishing paste is used with a high-powered brush to further clean and remove any remaining tartar.

• Step 3: Flossing – Your teeth will be flossed to get rid of anything that may be left in between your teeth.
  
  

The cleaning process generally takes 30 minutes to an hour. If there is anything abnormal observed, you will be scheduled for an additional treatment with your Calgary NE dentist.