Keeping up with your daily brushing and flossing routine is essential to prevent oral health issues. However, a professional cleaning is necessary at least twice a year to get rid of plaque and tartar that can’t be removed by your regular oral hygiene habits.
During a basic Dentist Robina, your dentist will use a scaler to scrape away tartar and plaque from around your teeth and gum line. The more tartar there is, the longer your hygienist will need to spend scraping it off.
Plaque Removal
Plaque is a colorless, sticky film that forms on the teeth when bacteria in the mouth mix with sugars and starches from food or drink. This plaque should be removed with regular tooth brushing and flossing.
If not, it can harden into tartar (calculus). Tartar is much more difficult to remove than plaque and can cause gum disease and tooth decay.
During a dental cleaning, the dentist or hygienist will use a small metal hook to scrape away tartar that has formed on your teeth. If the process is successful, you’ll hear a snapping sound.
The hygienist will then examine your gums and teeth with the help of a small mirror to check for any plaque or other concerns. If they uncover any problems, the hygienist will call in the dentist to address them.
Flossing
Flossing removes plaque, food debris and bacteria that can build up between your teeth. These can lead to cavities and gum disease, so it is essential to floss regularly in order to protect your oral health.
It also helps prevent bad breath, which is caused by the overgrowth of bacteria between your teeth. When flossing, make sure to move from tooth to tooth and always use clean sections of floss.
Your dental team can recommend the best type of floss to use. It may be a waxed or wax-free type, depending on your preferences.
Gently guide the floss between each of your teeth with your index fingers and thumbs, leaving a 1”- 2” length in between. Work the floss up and down several times forming a C shape around each tooth, making sure to go beneath the gum line.
Your dentist may also recommend using interdental brushes in places where the space is too narrow to use a regular toothbrush. If this is the case, you can still floss to keep your mouth healthy between professional cleanings.
Cleaning Between Teeth
Cleaning between your teeth is an important part of dental hygiene. The spaces between your teeth are where food particles and plaque can accumulate and lead to gum disease and cavities.
Floss is a common way to clean between your teeth. It consists of a length of string wound around a finger and a taut portion of the string that slides between your teeth in a side-to-side and up-and-down motion to remove bits of food and plaque build-up.
Another option for interdental cleaning is an interdental brush. These devices have bristles that fit comfortably but snugly in between your teeth and come in different sizes to suit a variety of needs.
Toothpicks are also available and can be used to clean between your teeth. However, they can damage your gums and cause gingivitis if you use them regularly. They are also not as effective as other methods of cleaning between your teeth.
Teeth Polishing
When plaque builds up on your teeth, it forms a sticky substance called biofilm. This biofilm protects bacteria from being killed by your toothbrush and helps them grow.
However, it also eats away at your tooth enamel. Tooth polishing is a way to remove this film and preserve your enamel.
It can also freshen your breath and prevent tooth loss. Brushing twice a day and having your teeth cleaned regularly is the best way to keep plaque at bay.
Tooth polishing is an important part of the dental cleaning entail and is done by a dentist or hygienist using a small rubber cup that contains a prophy paste. The rubber cup is attached to a spinning tool that is run over your teeth to help remove light stains and leftover dental plaque.
