Teeth Cleaning at Your Local Dental Practice
Ever since we are taught to brush our teeth, we learn that this is a process that we must repeat every day for the rest of our lives to ensure proper dental hygiene. But what most people don’t tell us is that those regular toothbrushes at your home aren’t getting everywhere they need to.
Here at Alaska Dental Associates, we take care of our patients, and one of the things they should know is that brushing their teeth every day isn’t enough. Generic toothbrushes do not remove every bacteria that might lead to dental disease down the line.
Everybody (especially those who aren’t as meticulous with their oral hygiene) needs to have regular professional teeth cleaning as part of their preventive dental care to ensure that harmful bacteria are removed from your mouth. This is a simple and safe process that must be carried out by a professional to maintain your teeth and gums healthy.
Why Get a Professional Dental Cleaning in Anchorage?
Apart from cleaner, healthier, and whiter teeth, professional teeth cleaning will help you prevent several oral diseases such as dental cavities, gum diseases, mouth cancer, and tooth decay and loss.
Another great benefit from regular teeth cleaning is that it gives the dental hygienist a chance to take a close look at your oral health in general and check for a few specific problems. It is a preventative procedure, and the main focus in teeth cleanings is to protect and guard against tooth decay and gum disease.
More than providing numerous health benefits that your teeth will undoubtedly thank you for, the process of teeth cleaning is one with close to no disadvantages. Patients that have teeth cleanings need no recovery time as the procedure is not invasive at all and no significant complications derive from it, so you can have teeth cleanings without disrupting your regular schedule.
Process of Getting Your Teeth Cleaned
Most teeth cleanings follow a similar procedure. They are often conducted by a dental hygienist, a trained specialist who employs tools designed specifically for the cleaning. Sometimes the procedure might be customized to the patient’s specific needs because every set of teeth is different, but the norm is that most cleanings all have a similar routine.
The hygienist starts by doing an examination to carefully evaluate your teeth, gums, and general oral health. From there on the procedure involves the use of an ultrasonic scaler or metal instruments known as “curettes”. The purpose of these tools is to remove plaque and tartar that have accumulated on the surfaces of your teeth.
What the procedures consist of is utilizing the ultrasonic scaler, that is built with a tiny vibrating tip to break hardened deposits using very rapid movement. The dental hygienist will also pour a regular stream of lavage, all while maneuvering the ultrasonic scaler, to cool the tip, help with plaque removal, and wash debris away.
Sometimes, your dental professional might use curettes instead. These manual instruments are specially designed to fit in the small curves of the teeth and are better suited to patients with sensitive teeth because they allow for a more controlled force. However, no excessive use of force is necessary at any moment of the procedure regardless of the tools used.
After the core procedure is done, a dental hygienist will finish by polishing the surface of your teeth. A special toothpaste and rotating brush are then used to complete this process which results in smooth, shiny teeth.
How To Avoid Discomfort from a Cleaning
Although the teeth cleaning procedure is extremely simple and non-invasive, a few patients might experience sore gums or bleeding during the cleaning. This is due to irritation caused by a significant amount of bacterial buildup.
The best way to prevent that from occurring is to keep up with oral hygiene at home before the cleaning. Improving your flossing techniques, using special mouth rinses, buying better toothbrushes, and brushing more frequently are great ways to prepare before going to get your professional teeth cleaning at the dentist.
Another possible cause of bacterial buildup can be lack of regular professional dental cleanings. Routine dental care from a licensed dentist is the best way to prevent more pressing issues and improve your chances of keeping those teeth for the rest of your life.
What To Expect From a Cleaning Appointment from Our Office in Anchorage
While many visits to the dentist entail carrying out delicate procedures that can cause considerable inconveniences to patients, professional teeth cleanings are far from that case. Patients should go to their appointment fearing nothing and expecting to have a short and painless visit to Alaska Dental Associates.
The majority of people don’t notice any considerable discomfort at all during dental cleanings, and many even claim that they enjoy the feel of cleaning. Other patients may take some time to get used to the feeling of their teeth cleaned, and some might even experience a little discomfort. Discomfort may be more common in patients who do not brush and floss regularly because their gums will be more sensitive to agitation.
A run of a mill teeth cleaning takes place between 30 minutes and an hour. Generally, it is done in a single visit to the dentist unless that a patient has very deep incrustations, in which case they can take it can take up to two or more sessions to realize the complete cleaning.
Schedule Your Teeth Cleaning Today
Without a doubt the most valuable thing about teeth cleanings is prevention. While you are questioning if taking the extra time out of your day to go to Alaska Dental Associates and getting professional teeth cleaning is worth it, bacteria is accumulating in your mouth creating the perfect atmosphere for a severe infection or other serious oral hygiene problems.
These problems slip by most of us but are noticeable by any dental expert. If they are left to fester, they may lead to lifelong health issues, tooth loss, and expensive dental repairs. When making decisions about your dental hygiene remember that common complications like gum disease are 100% preventable, but after they evolve into later forms it’s much harder to maintain their health.
If you’re concerned about your dental health, be sure to contact us at Alaska Dental Associates and set up your appointment, where we’ll give you the best service possible, the only thing your teeth deserve.