Dental Cleaning in Hackensack

Have you had a teeth cleaning recently? Professional dental cleanings are not only used to maintain your bright smile, they can also help to prevent certain conditions that can affect your overall health. Some medical and dental issues linked to oral health include bone loss, strokes, cardiovascular disease, and certain types of cancer. Although proper brushing and flossing is essential, you need to undergo regular dental cleanings at Aesthetic Dental Center of Hackensack to maintain the health of your teeth and your overall health.

Importance of Dental Cleaning

A dental hygienist is able to eliminate stains that have marked your teeth, leaving behind a smile that is whiter and brighter.

Dental cleaning helps prevent the development of periodontal disease that can cause the loss of teeth.

There is mounting evidence that gum disease is related to cardiovascular disease. It is believed that oral bacteria can travel throughout the bloodstream and reach the heart, weakening it. A dental cleaning can help to prevent potentially fatal heart attacks and strokes.

Prevention of Tooth Decay

Tooth decay is the enemy that your dentist is fighting all the time. As with all medical conditions, prevention is key. Tooth decay occurs because of the presence of bacteria in the mouth that secrete acidic substances that damage the tooth enamel. This leads to the formation of a hole, or cavity, that must be filled. Left untreated, a cavity can lead to a severe tooth infection and damage to the interior pulp of the tooth. This would further lead to the necessity for a root canal procedure or extraction.

Each of us has bacteria in our mouths at all times, even if we properly care for our teeth and gums. This bacteria feeds on sugary food and drink, forming a sticky biofilm called plaque. Plaque eventually hardens into tartar, and may lead to the development of gum disease. This is why undergoing regular teeth cleanings is so important. It allows us to catch problems when they are small. Regular cleanings provide your dentist the opportunity to detect any potential signs of trouble with your mouth or teeth.

Prophylaxis Cleaning

Commonly known as a routine cleaning, prophylaxis cleaning is performed on patients who are healthy and simply require routine maintenance to protect their oral health. This type of cleaning is often performed by a dental hygienist and involves all plaque removal from teeth, as well as surface stains on the teeth. This procedure is helpful in maintaining teeth that are already healthy so that they remain so. Prophylaxis cleaning is usually recommended a couple of times a year to prevent plaque from building up on the teeth surface.

Scaling and Root Planing

Scaling and root planing, often known as deep cleaning, is normally only provided to patients who have a greater chance of developing periodontal disease, as well as those who already have gum disease.

When plaque accumulates and is not cleaned away, it can become calcified, leading to the development of tartar. Tartar can only be cleaned professionally by a dental professional or periodontist. Left untreated, this buildup can lead to gum disease or other significant health problems. In this case, a scaling and root planing treatment is required so that hardened plaque is removed. The procedure is also used for those displaying symptoms of gum disease like swollen gums, loose teeth or bleeding gums.

Gross Debridement

This type of cleaning is provided when it has not been determined if other teeth issues are present prior to a dental cleaning. Patients receive a gross debridement typically when they have neglected their dental appointments for over one year or have accumulated plaque on their teeth.

A gross debridement helps to remove the buildup of plaque on the teeth and gums. This could take quite a while when there is a large amount of plaque present.

Additional Steps

Patients typically undergo professional teeth cleanings twice a year, while x-rays may only be needed on an annual basis. Depending upon what we observe in your mouth at your appointment, other examinations may be necessary. For example, we may recommend that a child receive dental sealants to help protect their teeth from developing cavities in areas that are hard to brush.

No matter if you need additional measures are not, the important thing to remember is that returning to your dentist for your regular teeth cleanings helps in preventing problems altogether.

Contact Us

Please reach out to Aesthetic Dental Center of Hackensack if you have not had your teeth cleaned for a lengthy period. This type of routine dental care can help prevent costly and expensive dental procedures in the future.