The Key to a Beautiful Smile
It’s important to maintain pristine oral hygiene care to avoid developing health complications. Oral hygiene covers all the things you need to do to keep your mouth clean and healthy. This involves brushing your teeth, tongue, and cheeks at least twice a day. Also, make sure to include flossing and rinsing with mouthwash into your at-home oral care routine.
However, while your oral hygiene is of the utmost importance, it’s also essential that you schedule regular dental checkups once every six months at our Luck dental office. While consistent brushing helps keep your teeth clean, there are still hard-to-reach areas that you can’t reach where plaque can build up and turn into tartar. This stubborn deposit can only be removed professionally at your regular cleanings.
If you don’t regularly remove tartar, it can cause tooth decay and gum disease, which is why biannual dental cleanings are essential. At Luck Dental Clinic, we provide premium preventive care and are committed to helping you maintain optimal oral health. Discover how your biannual dental checkups work below.
Common Dental Problems Caused by Poor Dental Hygiene
Improperly caring for your oral hygiene can lead to serious health complications. Most of these problems can be prevented by maintaining good oral health, saving you from invasive and costly procedures further down the line.
Cavities
Cavities, or tooth decay, is an area of the tooth that’s been permanently damaged and may have holes in it. They’re fairly common and occur when bacteria, food, and acid coat your teeth and form plaque. The acid on your teeth will start to eat away at the enamel and structure of your tooth, causing cavities to form.
Gum Disease
Gum disease, also known as gingivitis, is an infection that causes inflammation of the gums. This is typically the result of built-up plaque on your teeth due to poor oral hygiene habits. Gingivitis can cause swelling of the gums and bleeding when brushing or flossing. If you leave gingivitis untreated, it can lead to periodontitis, a more serious infection.
Periodontitis
This long-term health condition is caused by untreated gingivitis. Your gum pockets will begin to develop around the base of your teeth, which will bleed every time you brush your teeth or floss. This infection can progress into your jaw and bones, causing an inflammatory response throughout your body.
How Dental Cleanings Work
When you come in for a professional dental cleaning at Luck Dental Clinic, we’ll make sure you leave with a sparkling clean smile every time. During your teeth cleaning, a dental hygienist will remove all the plaque and tartar from your teeth using specialized tools. The entire cleaning process will end with detailed teeth polishing that’s effective in removing any residual plaque and stains that didn’t come off during the cleaning.
Our hygienists will always do their best to make sure you feel relaxed and comfortable throughout your cleaning session. If you have sensitive teeth or gums, or if you’re nervous, please let us know. We’ll alter our approach to make the cleaning more comfortable.
Frequently Asked Questions
The general recommendation for getting professional teeth cleanings from a dental hygienist is once every six months. While this works perfectly for most patients, some will need to come in more often due to the state of their oral health. If you’re someone who needs more frequent teeth cleanings, we’ll inform you at your next appointment. To schedule professional teeth cleanings, call our Luck dental practice at (715) 472-2211.
Teeth cleanings are essential in achieving great oral health because they remove hardened plaque and tartar from your teeth, avoiding the development of other serious health complications. Plaque and tartar can only be removed with special dental tools, which is why keeping up with your regularly scheduled appointments is so important. If not, the buildup of plaque and tartar can lead to tooth decay or gum disease.