Why a Routine Teeth Cleaning Is Important
While you may have heard that having your teeth cleaned regularly by a professional is important, it’s something that’s easy to overlook or put off, especially if you’re not experiencing any type of discomfort. Visiting the dentist for regular teeth cleaning is important for a number of reasons, though, and doing so can have a significant impact on your long-term oral health.
What We Look For
When you visit our office for a routine tooth cleaning, we’ll begin by examining your teeth, gums, and bite to get an overall sense of your oral health. This gives us a chance to check for signs of tooth decay, periodontal disease, or other potential issues that may not be causing symptoms but that could give you problems later on if not addressed.
Once we’ve completed this evaluation, we’ll determine what type of teeth cleaning you need. If you’ve been visiting the dentist regularly and have good overall oral health, you’ll receive a standard cleaning, which is also sometimes referred to as a dental prophy. If we notice signs of gum disease, we’ll likely go with a more in-depth deep cleaning that allows us to remove more substantial build-ups of plaque and tartar.
The Relationship Between Plaque and Gum Disease
It’s common to think of dental plaque as unattractive but otherwise insignificant. This couldn’t be further from the truth, however, as the build-up of plaque, particularly along your gum line, is directly linked to the development of gum disease. That’s because plaque is actually made up of the bacteria that cause gum disease.
When these bacteria are allowed to remain on your teeth for long periods of time, they can begin to irritate your gums, eventually causing the gums to detach from your teeth to create pockets where the bacteria can thrive. Fortunately, routine teeth cleaning can remove this plaque, helping to keep bacteria levels in your mouth low and your gums healthy.
Benefits of Professional Teeth Cleaning
Even if you’ve always been consistent about brushing and flossing daily, receiving regular professional teeth cleaning is important. That’s because it gives us a chance to catch all types of problems early, which benefits both your oral health and your budget. Any preventive dental care will come with a much lower price tag than the possible interventions and treatments you’d need later on if problems are allowed to persist.
Another thing to keep in mind is that receiving regular dental care doesn’t just impact your mouth, as it can have profound ramifications on your overall health and quality of life. In fact, having professional teeth cleaning performed regularly lowers your risk of developing all types of health issues, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and lung infections, among others. On the other hand, failing to take good care of your teeth causes pain and tooth loss, all of which can negatively impact your life in a number of ways.
It’s also important to remember that it’s never too late to build healthy dental habits. No matter how long it’s been since you had a routine tooth cleaning, you can still benefit greatly from scheduling one with our experienced and professional team. Call us today at (404) 400-0400 or contact us online to learn more or to schedule a cleaning.