how often do dental cleaning

How Often Do Dental Cleaning?

Dental cleaning is a common practice that should be on your regular hygiene routine. Apart from flossing and brushing, dental cleaning should be done to ensure that your teeth, gums, and mouth are healthy. Dental cleaning or prophylaxis is done by a dentist or a dental hygienist to remove plaque and tartar in your teeth. But how often do dental cleaning?

What is Dental Cleaning?

Dental cleaning is a professional oral hygiene practice that is recommended to be done every six months or twice a year. It includes an examination of your teeth and gums by a dentist to detect any signs of dental problems like gum disease, cavities, and others. Dental cleaning consists of two procedures: scaling and polishing.

Scaling is the process of scraping off plaque and tartar buildup in your teeth using a scaler or a curette. This process is important to prevent the development of gum disease that can lead to tooth loss if not treated. Polishing, on the other hand, involves the use of a polishing tool that removes stains and leftover plaque. This process also helps to smoothen your teeth surfaces, making it harder for plaque to stick to your teeth.

How Often Do You Need Dental Cleaning?

The frequency of your dental cleaning will depend upon several factors, such as your age, overall dental health, and personal preferences. Here are some of the factors that are considered when determining how often you should have dental cleaning:

1. Age

As you age, your dental health may change due to hormonal fluctuations, medication side effects, or natural wear and tear. Older people tend to have more health problems that affect their oral health. Therefore, they may require more dental cleaning visits to maintain their dental health.

2. Overall Dental Health

If you have good dental health, with no gum disease or cavities, then you may only need to have dental cleaning every six months. However, if you have gum disease, you may need more frequent cleaning, such as every three to four months.

3. Personal Habits

Your oral hygiene routine can greatly impact the frequency of your dental cleaning. If you floss and brush your teeth daily and avoid sugary and acidic foods and drinks, then you may need less frequent cleaning. However, if you smoke or drink excessively, then you may require more frequent dental cleaning.

4. Medical Conditions

Certain medical conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, can affect your dental health. If you have any of these conditions, you may need more frequent dental cleaning to maintain your oral health.

5. Dental History

If you have a history of dental problems like cavities or gum disease, then you may need more frequent cleaning. Your dentist may recommend more frequent cleaning based on your dental history.

Benefits of Dental Cleaning

Regular dental cleaning has many benefits to your dental health and general wellbeing. Here are some of the benefits of dental cleaning:

1. Preventing Gum Disease

Gum disease is a common oral health problem that is caused by the buildup of plaque and tartar in your teeth. Regular dental cleaning can prevent the development of gum disease, which can cause tooth loss if not treated.

2. Fresh Breath

Dental cleaning removes plaque and tartar buildup that can cause bad breath. After dental cleaning, you will have fresh breath and a clean mouth.

3. Detecting Dental Problems Early

Dental cleaning involves an examination of your teeth and gums by a dentist. This examination can detect any signs of dental problems like cavities, gum disease, or oral cancer early, which can be treated before they become serious.

4. Brighter Smile

Dental cleaning removes stains caused by coffee, tea, or tobacco use, resulting in a brighter and more attractive smile.

5. Saving Money

Regular dental cleaning can prevent dental problems that can be costly to treat. By preventing dental problems, you can save money on expensive dental treatments.

Conclusion

In conclusion, dental cleaning is a crucial part of your oral hygiene routine. The frequency of your dental cleaning will depend upon several factors, such as your age, overall dental health, personal preferences, medical conditions, and dental history. Regular dental cleaning has many benefits, such as preventing gum disease, fresh breath, detecting dental problems early, brighter smile, and saving money. Therefore, ensure that you have regular dental cleaning to maintain your dental health.