Dental care is gaining widespread attention as more people realize the importance of a beautiful smile. And dental cleaning is among the procedures that people seek. Even though aesthetic dentistry is leading the field, preventive dentistry procedures like teeth cleaning are not losing their value. This is because they are imperative to the general health of your teeth and gums.
Surprisingly, even people who get implants and veneers still opt for the procedure. And contrary to popular belief, teeth cleaning does not refer to oral hygiene and maintenance that you do at home. This is a multi-step procedure that a professional performs for the well-being of your oral health.
What Is Teeth Cleaning?
Teeth cleaning is a professional treatment where your dentist uses special materials and tools to deep-clean your teeth. The process takes on average around 30 minutes and it is best for patients to opt for the treatment twice a year.
It is not an invasive procedure and is typically painless. So, you will not need local anesthesia for the procedure. The purpose of teeth cleaning is to remove plaque build-up and tartar in areas that are hard to reach with a toothbrush.
Although many people take good care of their teeth, brushing twice a day is simply not enough. Many people do not even know the right mechanism for teeth brushing and so over the months, plaque builds up that later develops to cavities.
What Happens in a Teeth Cleaning Session
Professional teeth cleaning procedures will consist of multiple steps. These include:
1- Physical Examination
Any dental procedure will always begin with a physical evaluation where your dentist examines your teeth and gums. Your dentist performed this step using a mirror to check for any signs of disease.
This is important because if you do have dental issues such as gingivitis, inflammation, or cavities; your dentist will have to address those before starting the teeth cleaning.
But if you wish to ignore treating any present dental issues, there will be no issues going straight to teeth cleaning. The only exception to this is when the issue poses risks to the procedure.
2- Plaque and Tartar Removal
To begin, let us first differentiate between plaque and tartar. In simple terms, if plaque builds up over a long period of time, it can turn into tartar. Which is a material that has a rough texture and is much harder to remove.
In fact, once your plaque turns into tartar there is nothing you can do to remove it at home. You will have to seek professional treatment. You have to make sure you brush your teeth constantly to prevent tartar from occurring.
Plaque on the other hand is a biofilm of bacteria that is very easy to remove considering it has a soft texture. Plaque comes from bacterial build-up due to poor dental hygiene. If your food gets stuck in the teeth, bacteria begin to feed on it and grow in numbers. While doing this, bacteria excrete byproducts that can erode the enamel, leading to cavities.
Your dentist removes plaque and tartar using a special scaler to safely remove the stubborn biofilm. Depending on how much tartar build-up you have, this process can take little time or a longer period to complete.
3- Cleaning with a Special Toothpaste
The final step of a teeth cleaning session is to brush your teeth. Of course, using special materials and equipment. For one, the toothpaste has a sandy texture due to the presence of special grains in it. This rough texture has an exfoliating effect on the teeth.
Especially when coupled with an electric toothbrush of high power. The due can safely polish your teeth. But do not try doing this at home due to the abrasive nature of the toothpaste, it is only safe two do twice a year and under the supervision of a professional.
Read more : Teeth Whitening Strips: 3 Ways They’re Harming Your Teeth
Can I Opt for Teeth Cleaning with Dental Prosthetics?
General hygiene is advisable regardless of the procedure you opt for. Many people have the misconception that because porcelain and other materials don’t decay, oral hygiene isn’t necessary. But while tartar build-up won’t directly harm the prosthetic, it will harm the tissue around it leading to gingivitis and other complications that could harm your prosthetic; its stability, and durability. Whether you get the Hollywood Smile, Dental Implants, or dentures; it’s advisable to go for teeth cleaning every once in a while.
Can Teeth Cleaning Whiten My Teeth?
Teeth cleaning can only reverse yellowing and discoloration that occurs on the surface. If due to smoking or constant use of coffee your teeth gain a yellowish hue, teeth cleaning cannot reverse that. This is because the procedure does not contain elements that can penetrate the enamel.
Is Teeth Cleaning the Same as Teeth Whitening?
No, teeth cleaning and teeth whitening differ entirely from one another. Teeth whitening uses clenching agents to brighten your teeth and remove any pigmentation underneath the enamel. On the other hand, teeth cleaning doesn’t use any bleaching factors or attempt to remove discoloration from teeth. And it usually targets pigmentation on the surface of the enamel.
Teeth whitening is a longer session that lasts around an hour where your dentist applies a hydrogen peroxide gel to your teeth and then exposes them to UV light. The UV light activates the bleaching agents allowing them to get through the enamel and break down the stains. Of course, this doesn’t apply to genetic pigmentation. If your teeth are naturally darker in color, teeth whitening will not cut it for you.
Instead, you consider options like the Hollywood Smile. The Hollywood Smile is a procedure that uses porcelain shells to give your smile a complete makeover. These shells are fitted on the front of your teeth and can eclipse all your defects as well as give you a long-lasting bright smile.
The Takeaway
Teeth cleaning is a professional session that deals with removing plaque from teeth. It aims to prevent the formation of oral cavities, inflammations, or infections. Despite being effective, teeth cleaning can’t offer other benefits such as removing stains underneath the enamel. If this is what you’re after, you can consider other procedures such as teeth whitening or the Hollywood Smile that could offer better results for this purpose.
Contact Us
If you’re interested in either the Hollywood Smile procedure, teeth cleaning, or teeth whitening; contact our experts at Dentakay. We’ll offer you a free online consultation to address all your concerns.
