Dental Cleanings
New research and technology have shown us that your risk for getting cavities may be defined by some much different factors than we had once believed. You have likely been told for years to brush and floss and avoid sugar if you wanted to avoid cavities. We now know that it has much more to do with the chemistry of your mouth and in many cases, brushing and flossing alone has little to do with lowering your risk for decay.
For all our best intentions to brush and floss consistently, it seems that we can’t always avoid the cavity diagnosis. While brushing and flossing daily is good for your teeth and important for battling gum disease there are other things that we can do to prevent cavities from forming.
- Use a mouthwash after brushing help clear out remaining cavity-forming bacteria.
- Avoid snacking between meals, especially on sugary or chewy foods can accelerate the forming of cavities. But chewing vegetable fiber, like celery, after meals can help stimulate saliva, cleansing the fissures and pits where cavities typically form.
- For those with braces, water picks can be used to do replace flossing which is impossible with most braces.
- Chewing sugar free gum between meals, particularly sweetened by natural xylitol, can help prevent cavities by helping neutralize the PH balance in your mouth and suppressing bacteria growth.
- Visit our office regularly to ensure the application of fluoride, which strengthens enamel thereby preventing tooth decay. Also, if you are prone to cavities, it’s a good idea to have ongoing checkups to catch cavities early while they are small before they can become larger problems.
Proper dental care goes beyond just brushing and flossing. Protecting our smiles isn’t always convenient, but it is rewarding.
Here at the offices of Dr. Stacy Johnson Family Dentistry, we understand that professional teeth cleaning not only helps to keep your teeth healthy, but your body healthy as well. When you come in for your periodic cleaning appointment, we perform a deep teeth cleaning procedure, also known as scaling and root planing, to help prevent or treat gingivities and periodontal disease.
It is recommended to have your teeth professionally cleaned at least every 12 months. For some at risk patients due to age, medical condition, tobacco use, rate of accumulation of deposits or personal oral hygiene practices, more frequent visits such as every 3 or 6 months will be suggested.
Methods for Cleaning Teeth
Your dental hygienist will remove plaque and tartar with professional instruments that can access the buildup above and below the gum line. The hygienist has several instruments at their disposal including a sonic scaler, dental laser as well as standard stainless steel instruments.
Professional teeth cleaning, deep teeth cleaning by a dental hygienist, good oral hygiene is essential for preventing cavities, tartar build-up, and gum disease.
