Despite excellent home care, plaque can harden into tartar in hard-to-reach areas. Once hardened, it is crucial to understand that this buildup cannot be removed by brushing or flossing alone. You must schedule a professional teeth cleaning, as the team at Dental Associates of Basking Ridge utilizes specialized tools to safely and effectively remove calculus, preventing gum disease and tooth decay. Schedule your professional cleaning today to maintain your oral health.
Why Do Regular Cleanings Matter Even If You Have Great Home Care?
When plaque transforms into tartar, it is basically stuck on your teeth. Unfortunately, you cannot brush it off at home. Additionally, if you aggressively try to scrape it off, you can damage your enamel and irritate your gums. Our dental hygienists use specific instruments to gently remove the tartar buildup from above and below your gumline. This type of cleaning reduces the amount of bacteria and eliminates the rough spots that attract more plaque.
Even with great flossing technique, you likely cannot reach that deep into your gum pockets. A dental hygienist can access these areas below the gumline, including around old fillings or crowns, and between teeth where plaque is concealed (danger zones). By clearing bacteria out in these spots, you mitigate the risk of gum infections, bone loss, and cavities that require root canals or extractions.
Can Regular Cleanings Help Your Whole Body?
As you may already know, your oral health is connected to your entire body. Each day brings discoveries highlighting the connections between our oral healtha nd serious conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and pregnancy complications. If your gums are constantly inflamed, those bacteria can escape into your bloodstream. Therefore, keeping your teeth clean and gums healthy with regular dental visits safeguards your overall health.
It is advisable to think of your dentist as an additional set of eyes for your overall health. They often notice early signs of much bigger problems, such as undiagnosed diabetes, poor nutrition, or autoimmune issues, during routine cleanings. Minor changes in your gums, a super dry mouth, or slow healing are all signs of underlying issues. Regular dentist visits afford you the opportunity to detect these warnings immediately.
What Are Some Other Benefits of Regular Dental Cleanings?
Regular cleanings can effectively protect your investment in fillings, crowns, bridges, and implants by preventing plaque and tartar buildup at restoration margins. Proactive monitoring enables your dental team to address early issues before they turn into complicated and expensive repairs.
Routine cleanings allow your dental team to examine the work you have received for minor issues like cracks, loose margins, or wear. By catching these issues early, you can ensure minimal treatment is required, avoiding catastrophic failures, discomfort, and cost later.
Contact the Dental Associates of Basking Ridge today to schedule a professional teeth cleaning appointment.
