Professional dental cleanings: What do they do? And why do we need them? Do you ever find yourself asking these questions? Do you ever think: I clean my teeth fine, I brush twice a day and floss daily. Why do I need to go to the dentist twice a year? Why are their cleanings so special? The fact is, their cleanings are special. Dental hygienists are specially trained to remove plaque, tartar, and recognize problem areas such as the beginnings of tooth decay. Your professional cleanings are also more thorough. They reach places you don’t, and your hygienist can bring that to your attention so problems don’t develop. If it’s time for your cleaning contact your Ankeny, IA dentist, Dr. Amanda Foust and schedule an appointment for a prophylaxis–also referred to as a professional dental cleaning.
But I Brush My Teeth…
Do you really brush your teeth twice every day for two minutes and floss daily? Do you ever skip a morning, or an evening? What about weekends? Everybody is human and likes to take a break now and then, even from brushing your teeth. How about when you aren’t feeling well, or you’re just too tired or lazy? For those times, which we are all certain to have, there are professional dental cleanings. That doesn’t give you an excuse not to brush and floss daily, however. Your teeth need diligent care.
Plaque And Tartar Buildup
Our mouth is filled with bacteria and although some of it is good, some of it is not. The harmful colonizing bacteria feed on starches and sugars left behind from drinks and beverages. As the bacteria interact with the sugars and starches on our teeth, it produces a sticky, biofilm called plaque, that attaches to our teeth and builds up over time. It only takes 24 hours for plaque to harden into tartar. Once plaque hardens into tartar–a cement-like substance–it cannot be removed by brushing. The buildup of tartar causes gingival irritation, swelling, and bleeding, and can lead to periodontal disease which can result in tooth loss. Professional cleanings remove the plaque and tartar that you can’t see.
Cleanings
No doubt you’ve had at least one professional cleaning at some point and wondered why all the scraping. It can be disconcerting, but it is not hurting your teeth. It is helping them. The first step in a professional cleaning is to use a scaler to remove the tartar that has cemented itself to your teeth. Because tartar can be difficult to remove, sometimes an ultrasonic instrument is used to loosen and remove large stubborn pieces.
The next step after all the scraping is to smooth the teeth with a planer. The teeth are smoothed because it is more difficult for bacteria to adhere to a smooth surface.
The step that most people enjoy is the polishing. Your hygienist often gives you a choice of flavors when adding the prophylaxis paste. The paste is gritty and polishes your teeth until they are smooth and shiny.
The final step is a fluoride treatment to help keep your teeth strong and protect them from decay.
About Dr. Amanda Foust
For more information regarding dental health, call Dental Impressions of Ankeny, IA to schedule an appointment with Dr. Foust at (515) 965-0230. Since 2006, Dr. Amanda J. Foust has proudly provided compassionate and quality care to families in Ankeny, Alleman, Elkhart, Bondurant, and all surrounding communities.
