Is There A Need For Professional Dental Exam And Cleaning?

Posted On April 14, 2022

People follow dental cleaning procedures as a daily routine. Some of them strictly follow good oral hygiene habits and even visit their dentist twice a year. These regular checkups even include professional cleaning…..is this a necessity?

Rancho Bernardo dentistry is in San Diego California, where the local people go for professional cleaning. It is essential because even if the person is dedicated to brushing and flossing twice a day there can be issues. Some teeth are unreachable and go unattended if ignored for a long time. It causes the buildup of plaque. Professional dental cleaning helps to address this issue.

Many people ignore proper oral practice, which causes infections, cavities, and oral pain. Bad breath even occurs, which can damage mental, physical, and social wellbeing. After an extended period, the bacteria can trigger the development of gum disease.

Advanced cavities and gingivitis can transform into an abscessed tooth that is painful and damaging to mouth tissues. These are some of the reasons why visit a dentist for regular dental cleaning even if you follow proper oral hygiene practice.

What to expect in a professional dental cleaning?

Visual checkup

At the dental care of Rancho Bernardo, the licensed dentist will examine your gums and teeth. He/she uses a small mirror and checks your teeth for potential concerns.

Removal of plaque and tartar

If there is no sign of gum disease or cavities, the dentist will use a scalar to eliminate any buildup of tartar or plaque deposited between teeth or the gum line. After the plaque is eliminated, a gritty toothpaste and a brush is used to polish the teeth. Any remnants of tartar are removed and you obtain a smooth and clean teeth surface.

Flossing 

Teeth are also flossed to eliminate leftover tartar or toothpaste between the teeth. Even check potential spots for any issues that need care.

Rinsing & Fluoride treatment

After a thorough mouth rinse, the dentist will offer flavor choices for fluoride treatment. It is a preventative measure for protection against cavities. A liquid fluoride is given; you have to swish it for some time around the mouth.

How does this professional cleaning differ from your daily oral routine at home?

The dentist uses specialized equipment and tool for oral health maintenance. Powered scalers, brushes, and fluoride treatments are employed for routine dental cleaning. You can buy a high-quality toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss from the market but it does not measure up to professional production standards.

Besides, removing plaque properly with regular brushing & flossing is not possible. There are some surfaces the brush is unable to reach, so it is sensible to visit the dentist for regular dental cleanup.

Types of the regular teeth cleaning process

Depending on your oral health needs, the dentist at Rancho Bernardo dental clinic will recommend teeth cleaning procedure. There are four major teeth cleaning processes, they are –

1. Prophylaxis cleaning 

It is a standard tooth cleaning procedure as mentioned above. Plaque buildup is eliminated from tooth structures sitting above the gum line. Stains and plaque add a new mineral layer to the enamel.

The process involves a visual exam, scaling, flossing, and fluoride treatment. The time taken is not more than one hour.

2. SRP 

Scaling & Root Planing is a little invasive process involving deep cleaning of supportive teeth structure, gums, and gum line. SRP is recommended for people struggling with periodontitis or gingivitis.

It involves smoothing the tooth root surface and eliminating the tartar buildup. This can need several dental sessions to finish.

3. Periodontal maintenance 

It is a consistent oral health monitoring and maintenance program. People suffering from some kind of gum disease are recommended periodontal maintenance. It can even be recommended to people suffering from medical conditions that can impact their oral health.

Dental visits are within a regular timeframe, where the patient’s teeth are thoroughly checked. Deep or standard cleaning may even be performed if necessary. It ensures that gum disease symptoms are under control.

4. Gross debridement 

People ignore their dentist for several years. The plaque buildup on the teeth, gums and in-between teeth is huge. The dentist examines the patient’s teeth and performs gross debridement as part of a large treatment plan.

A large buildup of tartar and plaques is removed. Now, the dentist can accurately perform a visual checkup of the teeth and gums.

Difference between teeth cleaning and dental exam

Both dental exams and teeth cleaning are different processes. The former is performed exclusively or partly and can involve extra steps to evaluate your oral health.

A comprehensive dental exam includes –

• X-ray to identify decay, bone loss, cysts, tumors, and teeth/root position.
• Oral cancer screening by examining the mouth, gums, tongue, face, lips, neck, and tissues thoroughly.
• Gum disease screening by examining bones surrounding the teeth and gums.
• Tooth decay checkup via scrutinizing teeth surface using specialized instruments.
• Prior restoration [of crowns, bridges, or fillings] monitoring to identify if replacement or repair is needed.

A regular visit to the dentist every six months for a dental exam and cleaning ensures that your teeth, gums, and mouth are kept germ-free, clean, and healthy!