Dr. Megan Peterson Boyle is the lead cosmetic dentist with Dental Studio 101 in Scottsdale, Arizona. She is focused on providing anxiety-free cosmetic dentistry services including invisalign, dental implants, dental crowns and cosmetic fillings. She enjoys spending time outdoors with her friends and family.
Proper oral hygiene calls for brushing twice a day, flossing at least once daily, and visiting the dentist twice a year.
Following the rule about brushing is easy enough. Some tend to forgo flossing for a variety of reasons. Unfortunately, many people typically neglect to make dental appointments every six months. When they do, it’s often because they’re already experiencing dental problems like cavities and gum problems and seeking treatment for them.
The twice-a-year dental visits could have helped them avoid such issues. Aside from having their teeth checked, they could have used those visits to get professional teeth cleaning done as well.
Professional teeth cleaning is a crucial component of proper dental care. Here are seven reasons you should get it done regularly.
1. It Keeps Cavities And Tooth Decay Away
While brushing and flossing do help keep your teeth clean, you’re going to need more than that to effectively get rid of dental plaque. After all, there are areas on your teeth that toothbrushes and flosses have a hard time reaching.
A colorless and acidic substance that sticks to the teeth, plaque eats away at your teeth’s protective enamel, and may cause cavities and, eventually, tooth decay if not removed properly. Professional teeth cleaning helps prevent plaque buildup and takes care of all the dental issues that come with it.
2. It Prevents Gum Disease
Aside from causing cavities, plaque can also lead to gingivitis and other types of gum disease. Unremoved plaque hardens into tartar, which provides bacteria a place to thrive. Acids formed by the presence of bacteria will then infect your gum tissue, causing inflammation and bleeding.
With a dentist performing a thorough cleaning of your teeth, you can get rid of tartar and bacteria and keep gum disease at bay.
Considering that gum disease is one of the top causes of tooth loss, seniors, who are more prone to losing teeth, can improve their chances of saving their aging teeth by having them professionally cleaned on a regular basis.
3. It Prevents Bad Breath
People with bad breath are those who have poor oral hygiene. If we don’t follow a strict oral hygiene routine, food particles will remain and eventually break down in our teeth, increasing bacteria and causing a foul odor. Aside from bad breath, the lack of proper oral hygiene may also cause mouth sores and even throat infections.
Brush, floss, and have your teeth professionally cleaned to keep your breath fresh.
4. It Reduces Staining
Drinking coffee, wine, and carbonated beverages can leave stains on your teeth. The same is true for using tobacco products.
When you visit a dentist for a professional dental cleaning, you get a chance to remove or at least reduce the staining.
5. It Prompts Early Detection of Oral Cancer
Getting a professional dental cleaning every six months allows your dentist to check your oral health thoroughly and, in the process, detect issues that might become major problems down the road if not addressed immediately.
A routine teeth cleaning, for example, could lead to the discovery of a growth, a lump, or a white, reddish patch on the inside of your mouth. Since these could be signs of oral cancer, your dentist will proceed to investigate further and check if you have loose teeth and ask whether you’re feeling any pain inside your mouth or having difficulty swallowing.
Oral cancer is highly curable as long as it’s detected at an early stage, something that regular professional dental cleaning allows to happen.
6. It Improves Overall Health
It has long been established that good oral health translates to good overall health.
Poor oral health, on the other hand, adversely affects one’s overall health. When one suffers from gum disease and oral infections, there is a danger that it could spread to other parts of the body and cause life-threatening problems.
The connection between oral health and overall health is clear, with numerous medical studies saying that poor oral health could contribute to cardiovascular problems, pneumonia, and other diseases and conditions.
By adopting good oral hygiene practices—which include regular professional dental cleaning—you get a chance to improve your general health as well.
7. It Helps Boost The Appearance Of Your Smile
With all the benefits that come with professional teeth cleaning and other proper oral hygiene practices, you get to have perfectly healthy teeth and gums, which also means a perfectly healthy and beautiful smile, at a generally affordable price.
Professional dental cleaning is recommended for people of all ages. Whether you’re a teenager or a senior, there is no denying the amazing feeling of having thoroughly clean teeth, fresh breath, and excellent oral health. Get professional teeth cleaning done twice a year and reap its benefits for years to come.