Tag: teeth cleaning watertown

Your general dentist can provide different types of dental cleanings depending on your unique dental needs. The American Dental Association recommends that you get prophylaxis cleanings at least twice a year. Prophylaxis, which is also referred to as “teeth cleaning”, involves the removal of accumulated plaque from your teeth, which cannot be removed by regular brushing at home. 

A good candidate for prophylaxis should have firm, pink gums with no bleeding or gum pockets over 3mm. However, there are various situations that may require you to get a different kind of dental cleaning, such as gum disease, periodontitis, or staying too long between prophylaxis cleanings. Depending on your individual case, your dentist may recommend other types of cleanings such as:

Full Mouth Debridement 

If your teeth have heavy plaque and tartar (calculus) build-up, perhaps because you’ve missed a few prophylaxis cleanings, then your dental professional may recommend full mouth debridement using hand tools and a micro-ultrasonic scaler to clean your teeth and restore the health of your mouth. This procedure is typically performed before an oral examination and diagnosis to ensure good visibility of the actual condition of your mouth.

Scaling and Root Planing 

Commonly referred to as “deep cleaning”, this procedure is recommended for patients who exhibit signs of periodontal disease, such as deeper gum pockets (over 3mm), inflammation and bleeding gums, accumulation of plaque and tartar below the gumline, and/or loss of bone tissue supporting the teeth. This process may require the dental professional to numb the treatment area to avoid sensitivity when scaling and cleaning the roots of your teeth. 

Periodontal Maintenance 

Periodontal disease is chronic and irreversible. So following initial treatment for periodontal disease through scaling and root planing or periodontal surgery, your dental professional may recommend this specialized cleaning every 8 – 12 weeks as part of your ongoing maintenance to reduce the risk of gum disease recurrence. 

Need Dental Cleaning Today?

If you’ve experienced red, tender, bleeding gums, bad breath, or you just want to be proactive about your oral health, then you should contact our office to find out more about your individual dental cleaning in Watertown MN.

At your six-month dental checkup, your dentist should perform dental cleaning as a preventive procedure to maintain healthy teeth and gums. Professional teeth cleaning is necessary to remove accumulated plaque and tartar from in between your teeth and gums, which may be responsible for various oral issues such as cavities, gum disease, bad breath, oral cancer, and so on. 

During your routine dental visit, which should be every 6 – 12 months, your dental hygienist will first examine your teeth before cleaning them. The examination involves physical assessment of your teeth, gums, tongue, and the entire mouth for any concerns using a small mirror. If there are any noticeable problems, the dental hygienist will consult the dentist to determine whether it’s safe to proceed with the cleaning. But in some cases, it may be necessary to first clean your teeth and then perform the examination in order to obtain an accurate diagnosis. Your dental professional will determine the right sequence for your specific case.

What to Expect

Routine dental cleaning takes about 30 minutes depending on how long it has been since your last cleaning. This is because plaque will continuously calcify and mineralize on the surface of your teeth to form tartar. During this time, the dental hygienist will:

• Use a scaler to remove plaque and tartar from the surface of individual teeth, between the teeth, and around the gum line. 
• Polish the teeth using a high-powered brush with a soft rubber cup. This not only removes any surface stains, but also makes your tooth surface smooth and shiny to make it harder for plaque to form. 
• Perform professional flossing in order to thoroughly clean the area between your teeth to remove any leftover plaque and toothpaste from the previous steps. 
• Rinse your mouth using a solution containing liquid fluoride to remove any debris and clean your mouth. 
• Apply flavored fluoride by putting it in flexible trays that are then placed over your teeth for 30 seconds. This helps to strengthen your teeth and enhance the protection against plaque and calculus. 

Schedule Your Appointment
While many dental procedures can be dreadful, teeth cleanings are easily tolerated by most people because they’re not only simple and painless, but also an important part of maintaining your long-term oral health. To learn more about what to expect from a routine dental cleaning in Watertown MN, please contact our office today.

No matter how diligent your at-home oral care routine is, harmful bacteria can still hide in your mouth in places that are hard to reach with regular brushing and flossing. After some time, the accumulated plaque and tartar can pose serious risks to your oral health and even affect your overall health if the bacteria spreads from your mouth to various body tissues. As such, it should be removed by a dental professional using specialized oral cleaning tools at a recommended interval. 

Bacteria Growth in Your Mouth 

The warm and moist environment in your mouth is very hospitable for the growth of bacteria, which manifests as:

• Plaque – the biofilm formed by bacteria colonies living in your mouth. It is responsible for producing acid that can wear your teeth causing cavities and/or damage gums if not continuously removed by regular brushing
• Tartar or calculus – forms when plaque is not removed properly, causing it to calcify and mineralize into a hard substance that attracts more harmful bacteria. Calculus can only be removed during dental cleanings using specialized tools. 

Dental Cleanings Prevent Gum Disease 

Bacteria in your mouth can accumulate to a point where it becomes active and destructive, resulting in gum infection. The first stage of gum infection is known as gingivitis, and is characterized by gum inflammation, swelling, and reddening. Due to sensitive gums, you may also notice some blood on your toothbrush or when rinsing your mouth after brushing. Fortunately, gingivitis can be successfully treated with professional dental cleaning and an improved at-home oral care routine. 

If there are no interventions, gingivitis can advance to a more serious case of gum disease known as periodontitis or periodontal disease. It affects the foundation of your teeth – the bone tissue connecting your teeth to the jaw. If not treated promptly, periodontitis can cause severe bone loss that loosens your teeth with some even falling out. Though it’s irreversible, dental professionals can help you manage the symptoms and improve your oral health. 

Schedule Your Dental Cleaning Today 

Your dentist will examine your teeth and gums to determine the best type of dental cleaning in Watertown MN to improve your oral health and reduce the risk of advanced gum disease and cavities.

Dental cleaning is a simple, painless, and non-invasive preventive dental procedure that seeks to reduce the risk of dental issues such as cavities, gum disease, and bad breath by removing built-up plaque and tartar. Patients often experience some mild vibrations, cooling mist of liquid, and a bit of pressure during scraping, though this doesn’t cause any discomfort. On the contrary, the feeling can be quite satisfying in knowing that you can keep enjoying your healthy teeth and smile for longer. 

Ideally, dental cleanings should be performed every six months, but your dental hygienist may recommend shorter intervals if you’re at greater risk due to pregnancy, your lifestyle habits, or your general health. Moreover, if you have gum disease, your dental hygienist may recommend deep scaling – as opposed to regular dental cleaning – to remove plaque from your tooth roots as well. 

Generally, the first step before any dental cleaning is an examination of your mouth. The dental hygienist needs to physically check your teeth, gums, tongue, and the entire mouth for any concerns using a small mirror. If there are no problems, then the procedure for dental cleaning may be as follows: 

1. Plaque and Tartar Removal: A scaler is used to remove plaque and calculus from the surface of individual teeth, between the teeth, and around the gum line. This step may take longer if it has been a long time since your last cleaning. 

2. Polishing: A high-powered brush with a soft rubber cup and gritty toothpaste helps to gently scrub and polish your teeth. This not only removes any surface stains, but also makes your tooth surface smooth and shiny to make it harder for plaque to form. 

3. Expert Flossing: This step helps to thoroughly clean the area between your teeth to remove any leftover plaque and toothpaste from the previous steps. 

4. Rinsing: The dental hygienist uses a mouth rinse with liquid fluoride to remove any debris and clean your mouth. 

5. Fluoride Treatment: As the final step, your dental hygienist may apply flavored fluoride by putting it in flexible trays that are then placed over your teeth for 30 seconds. This helps to strengthen your teeth and enhance the protection against plaque and calculus. 

To learn more about what to expect from a Cleaning and Exam in Watertown MN procedure, please contact your dental office today.

Many people today know about the importance of oral health and how it affects your overall health. Optimal oral hygiene requires a combination of proper and consistent daily oral hygiene practices at home and routine professional dental cleanings. This helps to protect your teeth from decay and keep the gums healthy, while keeping your smile bright. 

However, one thing that may not be clear is why the American Dental Association recommends dental cleanings every six months. Generally, brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing every day should help to remove most of the harmful bacteria from your teeth and mouth. But the small quantity of bacteria that remains may still pose a threat to your oral health over time, if it’s not removed. 

Some of the risks include:

• Excessive tooth wear and cavities from the acid produced by plaque 
• Bad breath from improper teeth cleaning 
• Teeth discoloration from the colored foods you consume and calcification and mineralization of plaque in the form of tartar or calculus, which attracts more harmful bacteria
• Minor gum infection or gingivitis, which is characterized by gum inflammation, swelling, and reddening. Due to sensitive gums, you may also notice some blood on your toothbrush or when rinsing your mouth after brushing. 
• Advanced gum infection – If there are no interventions, gingivitis can advance to a more serious case of gum disease known as periodontitis or periodontal disease. It affects the foundation of your teeth – the bone tissue connecting your teeth to the jaw. 
• Exacerbated health issues – the infection can spread from your mouth to other tissues, making it harder to manage other conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and dementia 

Cleanings for Optimal Oral Health 

Fortunately, most of these problems can be successfully treated or managed with professional dental cleaning and an improved oral care regimen at home. That said, periodontitis is a chronic, progressive, and episodic gum infection. If not treated promptly, periodontitis can cause severe bone loss that loosens your teeth with some even falling out. Though it’s irreversible, dental professionals can help you manage the symptoms and improve your oral health. 

Please visit your dentist today to examine the condition of your teeth and gums and determine the best type of dental cleaning in Watertown MN to improve your oral health and reduce the risk of advanced gum disease and cavities.