Dental Cleanings
Do you brush your teeth at home twice a day without fail? That’s great for your oral health! But it’s not quite enough to keep you safe from tooth decay, gum disease, and other dental problems. You need professional dental cleanings to maintain a healthy mouth, and our dentists in Huntsville, AL, at Gardner Family Dentistry are here to provide those.
Our dental team offers cleanings as part of preventative care, so you can look forward to having a beautiful smile all the time. These visits are also important for many other reasons. We can find dental issues early. We can address decay or other problems promptly. When we see you for routine cleanings, you’re doing your part in taking good care of your teeth and gums.
What Are Dental Cleanings?
These are dental appointments that involve giving teeth a complete and thorough cleaning, eliminating plaque and tartar from the enamel. You might be surprised at how easily these substances can build up on your teeth and increase your chance of tooth decay and gum disease — even with regular brushing at home.
Routine dental cleanings are standard for preventative dental care. In some cases, patients need deeper cleaning, such as when they have gum disease. Keeping up with regular cleanings means you’re at a much lower risk of needing those deep cleanings.
What Happens During a Routine Dental Cleaning?
Here’s what you can expect when you come in for a cleaning and exam:
- Plaque and tartar removal using scalers to protect against tooth decay
- Tooth polishing to make your teeth look as shiny and healthy as possible
- Oral health evaluation
- Bite and jaw evaluation
- Dental X-rays as needed
- Existing tooth restoration examination
- Guidance on oral hygiene practices at home
Our dentists use these visits to examine your teeth and gums for any signs of trouble, such as the start of a cavity or early signs of gum inflammation. Finding these now means we can address them before they become more severe.
If you have a crown, bridge, filling, or any other restoration, we’ll also check those during your cleaning appointment. Fillings can come loose. Crowns can break. Catching problems with these restorations early allows us to replace them or repair them sooner rather than later.
Why Are Dental Cleanings Important?
These cleanings are a key part of keeping your mouth healthy, while also lowering your risk of potentially serious dental issues that can lead to tooth loss. Some of these problems even put your health in general at risk, increasing your chance of chronic or severe medical conditions. There’s a link between tooth and gum problems, such as infections, and a higher risk of heart issues, diabetes, and other problems.
Do you have a chronic health condition that may affect your teeth? That makes routine cleanings even more important! In fact, these dental visits help you manage your condition and lower your risk of complications, like gum or tooth infections that spread to other areas. It’s all part of keeping you feeling your healthiest and happiest!
What Happens If You Skip Dental Cleanings?
Maybe you’ve been too busy. Or you may be too nervous about going to the dentist. We understand that life happens, and you may miss a cleaning or two. But skipping them in general or missing too many means you’re taking risks with your oral and physical health. No matter how much you brush and floss at home, plaque and tartar can still accumulate on your teeth, causing decay.
Our team at Gardner Family Dentistry ensures that dental cleanings are as stress-free and convenient as possible. That helps patients with busy schedules and those with dental anxiety receive the preventative care they need to maintain their teeth and gums.
Note that cleaning is only part of these visits. We also use them to examine your mouth for any signs of conditions or problems that need treatment. Skipping or delaying these visits can allow minor issues to become larger problems that require extensive treatment. We want to help you avoid that!
What If You Have Dental Anxiety Over Cleanings?
That’s ok! Many people struggle with this kind of fear, making it harder for them to come to appointments or even schedule them in the first place. If you’re one of these people, talk to us about dental sedation.
We have options available to help you feel more comfortable about having your teeth cleaned. Whether it’s the sound or feel of the scraper or general nervousness about being at a dentist’s office, we provide sedation solutions that help ease these fears.
Having stress-free experiences with routine dental cleanings makes you more likely to set up and come to these appointments on schedule. Our dental team is here to help you feel welcome and safe, even for standard services, like cleanings.
How Often Do You Need a Dental Cleaning?
We recommend visiting us for dental cleanings in Huntsville, AL, every six months (or twice a year). That helps stop plaque and tartar from building up too much on your teeth and causing decay. It also keeps our dentists in the loop on how you’re doing in terms of your oral health.
Do you ever need cleanings more often? Yes, you may need more frequent dental cleanings if you have chronic or ongoing dental issues, such as periodontal disease. Or we may recommend having your teeth cleaned more often if you have a medical condition that can affect your teeth.
What about kids? Children and adults should have routine cleanings twice a year or as often as our dentists recommend. For babies, we recommend a first visit by their first birthday.
How Long Are Dental Cleaning Visits?
They don’t take long for most people. You may be in and out of our office in an hour or so, depending on factors such as how busy we are and the condition of your teeth and gums. If it’s been a long time since your last visit, you can expect to be here longer for a thorough cleaning.
But if you keep up with routine cleanings, you should have a shorter visit. Don’t hesitate to bring up any worries you have about your gums or teeth, or ask for advice on oral health.
How Can You Maintain Healthy Teeth and Gums Between Cleanings?
Dental cleanings go much more smoothly when you take care of your teeth and gums at home. We recommend doing all of the following to protect your oral health until your next cleaning:
- Brush your teeth twice a day or more
- Floss between your teeth every day
- Never use your teeth to open anything
- Don’t chew on anything that isn’t food, like fingernails or ice
- Avoid or limit foods that aren’t good for your teeth, like sweet, sticky foods
- Eat foods that support healthy teeth, like fruits and vegetables, cheese, yogurt, and nuts
Making these simple habits part of your routine can go a long way toward preventing dental issues and improving your oral health.
Schedule a Dental Cleaning Today!
Have you had your teeth cleaned? If it’s time for your twice-a-year cleaning, we can help! At Gardner Family Dentistry, our dental team offers dental cleanings in Huntsville, AL, as preventative care that helps keep your gums and teeth healthy!
