How Often is a Dental Cleaning Needed?

Doctors often tell their patients that they need to improve their diets and exercise. But according to the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, annual U.S. healthcare spending is $12,318 per person, while the next country, Germany, spends $7,383, and American outcomes in many areas are behind other developed countries. Clearly, many of us hope some pills will exempt us from being actively involved in our own health.

Untreated Periodontitis can Cause Other Risks

But dentistry is one area where you have a major role to play in collaborating with our specialists. You know that if you do not brush twice a day for two minutes and floss before you retire for the night, you are going to end up getting cavities or, much worse, periodontal (gum) disease. Untreated, periodontitis will result in teeth falling out or needing to be extracted. Missing teeth cannot be ignored because once lost, the mouth naturally adjusts by having the neighboring teeth lean in to “fill the gap,” which causes the misalignment of others until they become loosened.

If your dental hygiene habits do not improve, you could end up needing a denture, multiple dental bridges, or a full set of implants, and even loss of jawbone. The implications of poor oral health are serious, including an increased risk of cancer, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

Regular Examinations are Valuable

If you are not exactly sure of the correct way of brushing (from the gum line to the top on both sides) and flossing (both sides, moving the string to a clean area each time), have your dental hygienist show you. And just as you should have your dentist provide a full physical examination twice a year (because small problems can become big if not caught early), you should have your hygienist give you a professional cleaning at least every six months.

Our hygienists are highly trained and experienced in using special tools and techniques to do a far more thorough cleaning than you can do for yourself. They can reach the difficult places to clean, test your gum pockets to see if they are infected, and scrape off the plaque (or its hardened version, tartar) that is a bacterial film that forms around food particles that were not cleaned off. They can even clean below the gum line, and inject an antibacterial solution, if needed to stop the infection from spreading. She may recommend that you add a dentist-grade mouthwash, an air flosser, or small bristled brush to clean in tight places. 

If you have not had a dental hygienist provide a professional cleaning  recently, call Garden Grove Dental and Orthodontics today to set an appointment.