A professional cleaning is administered by your Livonia, MI, dentist or one of our talented dental hygienists. However, many people assume that brushing and flossing is enough to protect your smile, and that these visits can be skipped. Th truth is, you need a professional cleaning to avoid issues like gum disease, and keep your smile whole and healthy.
Why Brushing and Flossing Isn’t Enough
Brushing and flossing is crucial because these actions remove stray food particles and reduce the severity of plaque buildup. However, only a cleaning can remove the buildup from your smile, especially once it hardens into tartar. Plaque occurs when harmful oral bacteria consume the food particles stuck on and between your teeth. In the process, this releases a bad odor, elevates oral acidity, and coats the teeth in a sticky layer. The buildup could weaken and erode enamel, and also irritate and finale gum tissues, leading to higher risks of tooth decay, dental infection, gingivitis, and even gum disease.
How We Clean Your Smile
However, a periodic cleaning helps remove the buildup and halt the onset of these issues. We suggest one every six months for most children, teens, and adults. The process is simple. With an ultrasonic scaling device and a manual tool, our team will carefully break up and remove all plaque and tartar from the surfaces of your teeth. We then thoroughly polish them. You leave with brighter teeth and a smoother finish, and a lowered risk of poor oral health.
Scaling and Root Planings
However, if you haven’t attended your routine six-month visits, and don’t properly brush and floss, then the buildup could begin to cause gingivitis or the early stages of gum disease. You may experience sore, red gums that bleed easily. At this point, treatment is crucial to either reverse gingivitis, or manage the gum disease to prevent periodontitis, the late stage linked to adult tooth loss. A scaling and root planing means we use the ultrasonic scaling device and a manual tool to remove the buildup from not only the teeth, but the roots as well. The process could take between one and up to four visits, depending on the extent of your buildup. We then polish the teeth as well. Afterward, we may suggest regular cleanings every three to four months to maintain good periodontal health. If you have any questions about keeping smiles healthy and strong with preventive care, or if you would like to schedule your next visit, then contact our team today.
Do You Need to Schedule a Visit Soon?
We want to make sure you and your family avoid preventable oral health problems. For more information on removing plaque and tartar to safeguard your smile, then call the office of James Stewart, DDS in Livonia, MI, today at (734) 425-4400.