Teeth Cleaning

Why a Dental Cleaning is Crucial in Silver Spring, MD

Dental cleanings by your local dental hygienist are crucial. Dental patients who live in Silver Spring, MD should visit their dentist at least twice a year for their regular checkup; at which time, a dental cleaning will be done by their hygienist. Regular checkups with a thorough dental cleaning will help you keep your teeth cleaner and last longer. Cleanings prevent major problems like gum disease from developing.

Professional teeth cleaning by a certified dental hygienist in Silver Spring, MD aims to remove plaque, tartar, and stains that have formed on your teeth. Even if you have a steady routine of brushing and flossing your teeth and gums, tartar can still develop on your teeth. Most Silver Spring, MD dentists recommend a professional cleaning at least twice a year to prevent gum disease or reduce the disease from progressing. Routine dental cleanings and a good practice at home of brushing and flossing are crucial to prevent excessive tartar build-up and gum disease.

Plaque is a sticky, soft film which contains bacteria. This bacteria is what causes gum disease and tooth decay if you do not remove it by brushing and flossing daily and visit your dentist in Silver Spring, MD twice a year for a dental cleaning and checkup. Tarter is a hard calcified deposit which forms on the teeth and contributes to tooth decay.

Your Silver Spring, MD dental hygienist uses specialized instruments to gently scrape along and below the gum line to remove these deposits. These dental instruments are sterilized after each use so they can be used on other dental patients as well. A dental mirror will be used during your dental cleaning so that your Silver Spring, MD dental hygienist, and your dentist can inspect the hard-to-see areas of your mouth.

An ultrasonic instrument is a device also used for dental cleanings at dental offices in Silver Spring, MD. This instrument uses mild vibrations to loosen larger pieces of tar. It also sprays mists of cool water to wash the loosened debris away. Once the larger areas of tartar are removed, your hygienist will use curettes for scaling your teeth to get rid of smaller deposits and smooth the tooth surface. Each tooth will be scaled.

Once that is finished, your teeth will be polished with a handpiece that contains a soft rubber cup and spins. A gritty toothpaste solution is put into the cup and spins at the tip creating a smooth, shiny surface on your teeth. Your teeth will then be flossed. In addition, as part of your dental cleaning in Silver Spring, MD you may have a fluoride treatment where a flexible foam tray with fluoride is placed over your teeth for 30 seconds, and then you spit the rest into a saliva ejector.

Your regular dental cleanings along with your routine cleaning at home in Silver Spring, MD will increase your chases of maintaining good oral health.

How a Teeth Cleaning in Silver Spring, MD Can Prevent Dental Problems

A regular dental teeth cleaning and exam in Silver Spring, MD and simple dental care habits at home is the front line to good dental care to prevent dental problems and maintain the health of your teeth.

Reasons for Dental Teeth Cleanings

  1. Prevent Oral Cancer. During your teeth cleaning, your dentist is also screening for oral cancer which is curable if diagnosed early.
  2. Prevent Gum Disease. Gum disease if caught in the gingivitis state can be treated and reversed. If not caught early, periodontitis may follow which is a more serious and advanced stage of gum disease. Regular teeth cleanings in Silver Spring, MD along with daily brushing and flossing twice a day can prevent gum disease.
  3. Maintain Good Oral and Physical Health. A dental teeth cleaning every six months in Silver Spring, MD helps to maintain healthy teeth and gums reducing your risk of heart disease and strokes.
  4. Prevent Tooth Loss. Gum disease is one of the leading causes of tooth loss in adults in Silver Spring, MD. Regular dental checkups and a professional teeth cleaning along with daily brushing and flossing are vital to preventing tooth loss. Keeping your teeth helps you to be able to chew food better and is better for your overall health.
  5. Prevent Bad Breath. Most people with halitosis, bad breath, have a dental problem causing bad breath. Regular checkups and teeth cleanings in Silver Spring, MD are the best way to prevent problems with bad breath.
  6. Brighter and Whiter Smile. A professional teeth cleaning in Silver Spring, MD will allow your dental hygienist to remove most tobacco, coffee, and tea stains. Your dental hygienist will also polish your teeth to a brighter and whiter smile.

You should spend at least two to three minutes, twice daily brushing and flossing your teeth. Brush your teeth gently. Apply just enough pressure to feel the bristles against your gums and between your teeth to avoid gum injury and tooth wear. Change your toothbrush every three months or if it begins to look worn. Always change your toothbrush after you have been sick.

Regular brushing and flossing twice a day and visiting your dentist in Silver Spring, MD for a professional teeth cleaning and exam can prevent future dental problems.