What is a Dental Clean?
Teeth cleaning is a crucial part of maintaining good oral hygiene and preventing dental issues like cavities, gum disease, and bad breath. While daily brushing and flossing are essential, professional teeth cleaning by a dental professional provides a deeper level of care that keeps your mouth healthy in the long term.
Why is it important to get your teeth professionally cleaned?
Beyond the obvious removal of plaque, calculus (tartar) and stains, teeth cleaning also benefits you by:
Preventing Cavities
Plaque, a sticky film of bacteria, can accumulate on teeth. If not removed, it can harden into calculus and lead to and increase risk of tooth decay and cavities.
Prevents Gum Disease
Calculus build-up can lead to inflammation and infection of the gums, also known as gingivitis. It can also create other problems such as gum disease (periodontitis), which can result in tooth loss.
Freshens Breath
Persistent bad breath, or halitosis, can result from the build-up of plaque, calculus, and food particles that are not effectively removed through regular brushing.
Brightens Your Smile
Dental cleaning helps remove surface stains caused by coffee, tea, or tobacco, leaving your teeth looking whiter and brighter.
Boosts Overall Health
Research has shown that oral health is closely linked to overall health. Conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and respiratory problems have been connected to poor oral hygiene.
Signs you might need your teeth cleaned
Similar to gum disease treatment, this includes:
- More than 6 months since your last dental clean (or 3 months if you have Periodontitis)
- Bleeding gums, especially when brushing or flossing
- Swollen & sore gums
- Heavy plaque build-up around your gums
- Dark brown or black deposits around your gums
What happens when I get my teeth cleaned?
A professional dental cleaning session usually involves the following steps:
Oral Examination
The dentist will examine your mouth to check for any signs of gum disease, cavities, or other oral issues prior to your teeth cleaning.
Ultrasonic scaling
Using an ultrasonic scaler, plaque and calculus around the gumline is removed via vibration and water flushing.
Polishing
After removing the calculus around the gumline, your teeth will be polished using a gritty toothpaste and an electric polishing system. This helps eliminate surface stains and any plaque on the other teeth surfaces.
Flossing
Your teeth are flossed to ensure no remaining debris or plaque is left behind.
*Note: this may not be done if removal of debris was sufficiently achieved during the scaling.
Rinsing
You’ll rinse your mouth to remove any residue from the cleaning.
Fluoride Treatment
Fluoride treatment may be applied to strengthen your teeth and protect them from cavities for several months.
What are the possible complications for teeth cleaning (including deep gum cleans)?
Remember that it is your choice if you want to proceed with a clean, and the alternative is not to have one. An oral examination may not be thorough enough if the teeth are not free of plaque and tartar.
There are various possible complications that can occur despite all efforts to the contrary as a result of tooth cleaning which include but are not limited to:
- Increased sensitivity to hot, cold and sweet drinks or food.
- Recession of the gum tissue and exposure of root surfaces as the tissue heals and gum swelling decreases.
- Feeling of gaps between teeth where the build-up used to be. The gaps were previously already there but were filled in with plaque and tartar.
Deep clean (periodontal debridement) complications could also additionally include the following:
- A black triangle appearance and shadowing between the teeth where the dental papilla has been lost. This is irreversible, but if treatment is successful, it can be masked.
- Discomfort and soreness in the gums and bony tissue post treatment which can be usually well managed with over the counter pain relief.
- There are occasions when profuse bleeding of the gums can follow after treatment. Some bruising or swelling of the intraoral and facial swelling may occur and may experience some gum discoloration.
- Postoperative
- Surgical procedures may possibly result in injury to the nerves of the lips, tongue, or other oral tissues. Numbness could occur which may be either temporary or permanent.
- Temporary increases in tooth mobility.
- To prevent and help manage periodontal disease we advise proper brushing technique, flossing or other interdental cleaning at home and maintaining regular periodontal cleaning and root planning.
It's always such a nice feeling to run your tongue over your fresh, clean teeth!
Common Dental Problems
Frequently Asked Questions
Does teeth cleaning hurt?
For most people, teeth cleaning is not painful, however, some may feel slight discomfort if you have sensitive gums or significant build-up, but the process should not cause pain.
Can a teeth clean remove all my stains?
Most extrinsic (external) stains such as the ones from tea and coffee can usually be removed with teeth polishing. Deeper, intrinsic stains may require teeth whitening or enamel microabrasion.
Does a professional teeth clean whiten my teeth?
Teeth cleans remove stains but usually does not whiten teeth. Whitening teeth requires a different process.
Can I clean my teeth during pregnancy?
Yes, a professional teeth clean is safe during pregnancy and is actually encouraged. Poor gum health has shown to have increased risks for pre-term and low birth weight babies. It is imperative to maintain excellent oral health during pregnancy, also due to hormonal changes.
