Dental
Cleaning
Professional and meticulous dental cleanings offer many health
benefits in addition to restoring the natural beauty of your teeth.
Bacteria accumulate on the teeth and below the gum line on a constant
basis. Some of these bacteria are very harmful and can cause gum
disease, cavities, and are also a major contributor to bad breath.
These bacteria have protective mechanisms that allow them to hide
in the hard to reach spaces between the teeth, and especially below
the gum line.
The purpose of a professional dental cleaning appointment is to
remove the bacteria from these hard to reach spaces, and restore
the health of the gums and the teeth.
Numerous studies have shown that patients who have experienced
gum disease should have their teeth cleaned every three months to
prevent recurrence or continuation of the disease. Intervals longer
than three months do not seem effective enough for controlling gum
disease.
It is now also recommended that pregnant patients and those at
risk of cardiovascular disease (high cholesterol, high blood pressure
or history of heart disease) should also have their teeth cleaned
every three months. Gum disease seems to be a significant risk factor
for having pre-term babies, and cardio-vascular events.
But not all cleanings are the same. Cleaning done in some offices
are a quick “stain removal” polishing of the teeth that
does not really offer any therapeutic benefits. In some other offices
the cleanings are mostly focused on removing the bacteria on the
teeth surfaces only and not much attention is given to the very
harmful bacteria that hide below the gum line.
A therapeutic cleaning should be very meticulous, it should remove
all bacterial accumulations from above and below the gum line, and
should gently remove all of the stains on the teeth.
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