If you want your teeth to look radiant and last for many years, you should know that oral hygiene plays the most fundamental role in achieving this goal. The state of your teeth and gums is directly proportional to the care of them.
That is why it is best to go to your dental specialist at least once a year so that he can perform a professional dental cleaning. But, do you know what a professional dental prophylaxis or cleaning consists of? How much? Today we will clarify all your doubts about it.
What does a professional dental cleaning consist of?
Even when you have rigorous dental hygiene, using the appropriate technique to brush your teeth after each meal, make good use of dental floss and even interproximal brushes, we want to tell you that this is not enough.
Regular oral hygiene is unable to effectively remove bacterial formations that nest between the teeth and along the gums, much less remove tartar completely.
That is why prophylaxis or professional dental cleaning becomes so necessary, because it is through it that the dental hygienist manages to give your mouth a complete cleaning and provide it with adequate health.
What does prophylaxis seek to eliminate?
Specifically, through this cleaning, dental plaque and supragingival and slightly subgingival tartar are removed. By eliminating these agents that deteriorate our oral health, we also eliminate the calculus that retains dental plaque and bacteria as a result.
Similarly, extrinsic stains are eliminated through prophylaxis. These are nothing more than the stains produced by external agents such as coffee, tobacco, wine, etc.
To carry out this cleaning, ultrasonic devices are generally used. One of the characteristics of these devices is that, when they come into contact with a hard surface, they begin to vibrate. This part that vibrates is a fine tip called an insert and it is just this piece that touches the tooth, thus removing tartar or debris that adheres strongly.
In the event that only plaque has to be removed from the patient’s teeth, the use of a clinic toothbrush and prophylaxis paste will suffice. These have a polishing effect that removes said plaque.
When it comes to stain removal only, they can be removed with the use of the clinical brush and the aforementioned paste. The hygienist may also use a bicarbonate spray, which, due to the bicarbonate’s own salts, can drag the dirt from said stains.
How long does this professional dental cleaning last?
This professional dental cleaning consists of the use of various dental tools to remove tartar and bacterial plaque. In fact, this type of cleaning also stops incipient gingivitis. This process, although it may not seem like it, is quite simple, does not damage the oral cavity at all and lasts between 30 and 50 minutes.
In general, it is advisable to have a professional dental cleaning once a year, together with your annual check-up. Of course, everything will depend on the state of health of the patient’s mouth. If it is a patient who has swollen gums, constant stains appear or tartar reappears in a short period of time after cleaning, then most likely, this time of one year will be reduced.
In any case, it is the hygienist who must advise the deadlines based on the risk and the specific situations of each patient.
Why is it necessary to have a professional dental cleaning?
As we have already mentioned, regular prophylaxis is the only way to keep your mouth free of bacterial plaque and tartar buildup. Therefore, among the benefits for your oral health that we can list, we find that professional dental cleaning:
- Prevents inflammation of the gums and, therefore, the appearance of periodontal diseases.
- Prevents gingival recession that compromises the stability of the teeth by not treating these periodontal conditions in time and previously the accumulation of tartar.
- Strengthens tooth enamel
- Improves the aesthetics of the smile by removing dental tartar and enamel stains caused by external agents.
