Dental CleaningAn Overview
West Ashley Family Dentistry recommends that patients of all ages come in twice a year for a professional dental cleaning as part of comprehensive disease prevention. A dental cleaning performed in our Charleston dentist office can offer thorough removal of plaque from all tooth surfaces, preventing tooth decay and the development of gum disease.
In addition to brushing or polishing your teeth, we will also examine your mouth to look for decay, gum disease, and any signs of other problems such as oral cancer.
Getting your teeth professionally cleaned every six months is very important for your oral health. But how you care for your teeth at home is also very important. In between visits, we want our patients to brush their teeth at least twice a day.
Also, you should floss daily and use mouthwash to help maintain your oral health. These practices reduce harmful bacteria in the mouth and on tooth surfaces. Sometimes food will get stuck in between your teeth and regular brushing does not work at dislodging it. This is why flossing is so important. Failure to clean the tight spaces in between your teeth can easily lead to decay.
Dental Cleaning What to Expect
A dental cleaning is generally a painless procedure during which your dentist, Ashley Family Dentistry recommends that patients of all ages come in twice a year to properly maintain their oral health.
A dental cleaning performed in our Charleston dentist office can offer thorough removal of plaque from all tooth surfaces, preventing tooth decay and the development of gum disease. In addition to brushing or polishing your teeth, we will also examine your mouth to look for decay, gum disease, and any signs of other problems such as oral cancer.
Even though getting your teeth professionally cleaned every six months is very important for your oral health, how you care for your teeth at home is also very important. In between visits, we want our patients to brush their teeth at least twice a day.
Also, you should floss daily and use mouthwash to help maintain your oral health and reduce harmful bacteria in the mouth and on tooth surfaces. Sometimes food will get stuck in between your teeth and regular brushing does not work at dislodging it. This is why flossing is so important.
Failure to clean the tight spaces in between your teeth can easily lead to decay. Our dental hygienist will clean all surfaces of the teeth. The first step will be to gently scrape away any plaque or tartar that has built up along the gum line or tooth surfaces, followed by polishing using fluoride toothpaste.
We may use the Cavitron ultrasonic cleaner to painlessly remove tartar with dramatic results. Our patients love how quick and less traumatic this ultrasonic cleaner is. It allows them to spend less time in the chair!
The final step is thorough flossing between all of your teeth to remove any food particles. During your routine visits and dental cleaning procedure, we can also offer personalized oral hygiene advice or demonstrate proper brushing and flossing techniques to use at home.
Disease prevention is the key to enjoying not only a lasting smile but a reduced risk for overall health concerns such as cardiovascular and systemic disease.
Dental Anxiety? We Have Solutions
Getting through a dental cleaning when you suffer from dental anxiety can be stressful. It could be the sights, the smells, the sounds of the drills, or a bad past experience that causes the fear. No matter what the cause, our Charleston dentist office staff is prepared to help you get through your teeth cleaning.
It is important to communicate with us exactly what your triggers are so we can address them. We want to do everything we can to help because we understand the importance of oral health care. Avoiding a teeth cleaning will wreak havoc on your oral health and lead to severe dental issues.
We take a compassionate approach to your needs as a patient. And we work with you individually to identify the best way to calm your fears and enable you to feel relaxed. We offer sedation dentistry when necessary to help you restore or maintain your oral health.
