The Importance of Regular Dental Cleanings for Overall Health

Brushing and flossing twice daily is not enough for getting a healthy bright smile. Yes, you heard it right. You must include regular dental cleaning visits and should not skip them at all. However, you may be surprised to learn that you can get overall health benefits from these dental cleaning appointments. Here are some reasons why you should include regular dental cleaning appointments with your dentists.

• Prevent tooth decay: Regular dental cleanings help to remove plaque and tartar build-up on your teeth that eventually lead to caries. Apart from practicing good oral hygiene at home, professional dental cleaning is more effective to prevent tooth decay.
• Early identification of oral health issues: Dental cleanings can allow your dentist to identify potential dental issues early on i.e cavities, gum diseases, and even oral cancer. Professional dental cleaning at regular intervals can help in providing early treatment and prevent them from becoming more serious or life-threatening.
• Reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke: When your teeth and gums are in bad shape, it increases the risk factors of developing other health issues too. However, if you skip those teeth cleaning appointments, infection transmission may occur from your gum which can result in several complications including several heart issues like a heart attack or stroke.   
• Freshen breath: Bad breath can be caused by poor oral hygiene, gum diseases, and poor health issues; Regular dental cleanings help to freshen your breath by removing bacteria and food particles that can lead to unpleasant odors.  
• Prevent diabetes: You might have heard from your doctor that both diabetes and gum disease go hand in hand. People living with diabetes may have periodontitis or lose teeth as well. Moreover, the deposition of plaque and tartar build-up on your teeth makes it worse. A professional dental cleaning will scrape away all those deposits and keep your gum and oral hygiene healthy.
• Save money: Contrary to popular belief, dental cleanings are pretty much affordable. It can diagnose serious health issues early on that can be expensive to treat later. Thus you can save money in the long run by avoiding costly dental procedures. For example, treating initial caries will cost you much lesser than the root canal procedure itself.  
• Reduce the risk of dementia: As per research, overall bodily inflammation has been connected to a greater decline in mental efficiency. The periodontal bacteria may unfortunately increase the level of inflammation. Hence researchers believe that maintaining dental health could reduce the impact of dementia and also improves a person’s quality of life.  
• Avoid premature birth or low birth weight: Premature birth and low birth weight are thought to be increased by chronic gum disease. That is why expectant mothers must maintain good oral hygiene. It is recommended that you create healthy teeth and gums before planning a pregnancy and visit your dentist for dental cleaning services at least once a year.

What can you expect during a dental cleaning?

Your dentist will carefully assess the situation of your mouth by thoroughly removing all the plaque and debris. Following that, he/she will polish your teeth so that it creates a smoother surface. Bacteria are less likely to adhere to a smooth surface. Afterward, your teeth will look brighter. As a part of your oral hygiene appointment, you will receive

an oral cancer screening that includes checking your cheeks, tongue, lips, floor, and roof of your mouth. They will look for any color changes, ulcers, lumps, bumps, or sore spots in your mouth. You can consult your dentist regarding your dental care or regular oral hygiene routine.

FAQs

What other oral health conditions can be prevented through teeth cleaning?

Certain medications can reduce the salivary flow in your mouth; which can cause harmful bacteria to grow. Ample salivary flow can neutralize the acid produced by bacteria and can protect your teeth from microbial invasion. It’s important to book an appointment with your dentist to discuss more. He/She will recommend a professional dental cleaning to keep your teeth protected.

How often should you get your teeth cleaning done?

A dental cleaning appointment every 6-month interval is advisable. It will suffice to keep your mouth in good condition. However, we believe that dental care is highly individualized. The frequency of visiting your dentist may vary based on your oral hygiene and other dental problems you have. Before deciding your schedule, your dentists will take your oral health history into account.

What can you expect after a thorough dental cleaning?

Right after a thorough dental cleaning, you may feel a little sensitivity around your teeth.

Although it’s temporary. Within a week or so, your receded gum line will be restored. To get disease-free dental and oral health, regular dental cleaning is a must.