You probably know you're supposed to see your dentist for regular dental cleanings, but you may not appreciate how important it is to keep your appointments. Your whole family including kids should have regular dental visits that include cleaning when your kids are old enough.
By having their teeth cleaned regularly, you can help prevent tooth and gum problems that cause your kids a lot of pain. Here's why you want to have your teeth cleaned at your dentist's office on schedule, and a look at how dental cleaning is done.
Dental Cleaning Prevents Gum Disease
One important reason to have your teeth professionally cleaned is to prevent gum disease. Gingivitis is fairly common. This is the early stage of gum disease, and it is easy to reverse if it is caught early. If gum disease is allowed to progress, it could cause you to lose some teeth. Gum disease can require surgery to reverse once it gets advanced, so it's best to take good care of your teeth so you can prevent those problems.
Dental Cleaning Prevents Bad Breath
If you struggle with bad breath, you may find your condition gets better if you have plaque and tartar removed by a dental hygienist. Plus, by preventing gum disease, you reduce the risk of having bad breath since infected gums have a foul odor. The cleaner you keep your teeth, the healthier they are and the fewer problems you have with bad breath.
Dental Cleanings Aren't Painful
If you avoid having your teeth cleaned because you fear pain, talk to your dentist and let them know. They might provide nitrous oxide gas or some other type of treatment to calm your nerves. Dental anxiety is fairly common, so your dentist can help you through it if you let them know that sounds, smells, or fear of pain are keeping you from getting dental care.
Dental Cleanings Involve a Few Steps
When you get your teeth cleaned, the hygienist may use an ultrasonic dental cleaning tool rather than hand tools to remove plaque and tartar. You may find the ultrasonic cleaner to be more comfortable. If they don't use the ultrasonic tool, the hygienist needs to scrape the tartar and plaque off with a hand tool. This doesn't hurt, but it might make scraping noises that bother you.
The more tartar you have, the longer the hygienist needs to scrape, and that's a good reason to have regular dental cleanings. Tartar won't build up so much and your cleanings will go faster and be easier. After that, the hygienist will probably brush your teeth with gritty toothpaste and an electric brush. This is followed by flossing and a fluoride treatment.
When the hygienist is finished, your teeth should feel squeaky clean. Just remember to take good care of them at home so you don't accumulate too much plaque before your next dentist visit.
For more information, turn to a service such as Family Dentistry Of Woodstock.
