The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends that patients complete professional dental cleanings and assessments every six months. Today, our Saint Louis dentists are talking about why these cleanings are so important. Keep reading to get more information!
Tartar
When bacterial plaque sits in your mouth for longer than a day or two, it will calcify to the dental enamel and turn into a substance called tartar. While it’s easy enough to brush and floss plaque away, tartar is much more difficult to remove. You want to keep up with your schedule of professional cleanings so that tartar can be removed in a timely manner.
Thorough Cleaning
No matter how thoroughly you clean your smile, there will be always be dental debris and plaque that is left behind. The purpose of a professional dental cleaning is to clear away compounded plaque, tartar, and dental debris, so that you can care for your smile at home. Brushing, flossing, and using a mouth rinse help you maintain a clean slate until your next appointment.
Oral Cancer Screening
Because early detection and timely treatment can be so critical when it comes to treating oral cancers, our team screens our patients’ smiles for irregular tissue at every cleaning. Subtle changes that you may not notice at home—changes in texture, color, or resiliency of tissue—are easier for our team to pick out.
Consistency
Your family dentist is your partner in dental care—we are here to answer your questions and guide you toward appropriate and effective dental solutions. The better we know your smile, the more data we have to help you build an effective treatment plan. It is beneficial for our team to see you regularly, so we’re able to get a sense of how your smile is changing over time.
No matter how long it has been since you’ve seen a dentist, our Saint Louis dental team is here to help you. There’s no judgement—just help and support!