Teeth Cleaning Specialist
Van Ness Family Dentistry
Dentists located in Lower Nob Hill, San Francisco, CA
One of the best ways to keep your teeth white, bright, and healthy is with regular professional teeth cleaning. Though regular brushing and flossing remove food particles from your teeth, you can’t brush away tartar, which is a hard substance that traps bacteria and increases your risk of cavities and gum disease. Van Ness Family Dentistry in Lower Nob Hill, San Francisco, provides thorough and gentle teeth cleaning to improve your smile and oral health. To schedule your teeth cleaning, call the office, or request an appointment online today.
Teeth Cleaning Q & A
Why do I need professional teeth cleaning?
Teeth cleaning is a dental treatment that improves the health of your teeth and mouth. Regular brushing and flossing removes food particles and plaque from your teeth and gums and is important for maintaining good oral hygiene.
Plaque is the sticky film of bacteria that develops on your teeth and along your gum line. Though plaque is normal, when not removed quickly with brushing and flossing, it hardens, turning into tartar.
Tartar traps bacteria on your teeth and increases your risk of cavities and gum disease. You can’t remove tartar with regular brushing and flossing, which is why you need professional teeth cleaning.
What happens during teeth cleaning?
The specifics of your teeth cleaning depend on your oral health needs. Before your teeth cleaning starts, your dental professional examines your teeth and gums to look for signs of cavities and gum disease.
Then, they use a special tool to remove plaque and tartar from your gum line and between your teeth. Your dental professional polishes your teeth with a gritty toothpaste and electric toothbrush and finishes your teeth cleaning with professional flossing to remove any remaining debris.
You then rinse your clean mouth with a fluoride solution that coats the surface of your teeth and provides additional protection against cavities.
How frequently do I need teeth cleaning?
Your dentist determines how frequently you need teeth cleaning based on your oral health needs. In most cases, they recommend teeth cleaning every six months to control tartar buildup and maintain good oral hygiene.
You may require more frequent teeth cleaning if you have a history of gum disease, take medication that makes your mouth dry, or you have diabetes. Smokers also benefit from more frequent teeth cleaning.
What is a deep teeth cleaning?
A deep teeth cleaning, also called scaling and root planing, removes plaque and tartar that’s migrated below your gum line. You may need a deep cleaning if you wait too long to schedule your regular teeth cleaning.
When you don’t remove tartar and plaque regularly, they fall and collect under your gum line, trapping bacteria that may cause gum disease, gum tissue loss, and bone loss.
Don’t wait any longer, call Van Ness Family Dentistry or request an appointment online today to schedule your teeth cleaning.