How often should I go to the dentist for teeth cleaning? 6 months?
One of the most crucial aspects of maintaining option oral health is going for regular dental cleaning sessions. Oral hygiene at home, including regular brushing, flossing, and antibacterial rinsing, is crucial, but so is regular professional teeth cleaning. One of the most common questions patients ask is, “how often should I go to the dentist for teeth cleaning? 6 months?”
The question comes with the assumption that all dental cleaning sessions must be spaced apart by 6 months. Yes, most dentists and dental associations recommend two teeth cleanings per year, but the specific frequency of your teeth cleaning depends on your unique oral anatomy, oral hygiene, and history of dental problems.
Different patients accumulate plaque and tartar at different speeds, needing different frequencies of teeth cleanings. Before we explain exactly how often you should get your teeth cleaned, it’s important to explain why you need professional and regular cleaning. This article explains the importance of regular teeth cleaning and its correct frequency.
Why is it important to have regular teeth cleaning?
Most people don’t understand the importance of regular teeth cleaning because they think it’s no different from personal oral hygiene. However, a professional dental cleaning isn’t the same as brushing your teeth, but it’s a necessary complement to your regular oral hygiene habits. Professional teeth cleaning is necessary to prevent plaque and tartar accumulation.
No matter how well you brush your teeth, you can’t remove all the food particles stuck in your teeth and gums. Different people have different amounts of food stuck in their teeth. Individuals with perfectly aligned teeth and optimal occlusion can generally remove most of the accumulated food from the teeth. But people with a poor bite or misaligned teeth often get food stuck in the deeper corners of their teeth without dislodging it with regular brushing.
Regardless of your overall oral health and brushing habits, we all have at least some trace amounts of food particles stuck in our teeth. Over time, the accumulated food particles turn into a sticky white substance called plaque, which, in turn, hardens into tartar. Plaque and tartar accumulation lead to bacterial growth. As the bacteria feast on the plaque and tartar, they release toxins, leading to dental cavities and gum inflammation.
Professional dental cleaning is necessary to remove all the accumulated plaque and tartar before you suffer from gum disease. In some cases, dental cleaning sessions also highlight early gum disease, allowing the dentist to treat it early to prevent it from worsening into periodontitis. If left untreated, advanced gum disease may lead to a severe loss of bone and dental tissues, necessitating surgical intervention.
During the dental cleaning session, the dental professional uses specialized tools to remove all the accumulated plaque and tartar from your teeth and gums. If necessary, they also smoothen the roots of your teeth to ensure optimal gum tissue adhesion. After removing all the accumulated plaque, the dentist polishes your teeth and provides fluoride treatment to protect your teeth from bacterial infection for several months.
How often do I really need to have my teeth professionally cleaned?
How often you need teeth cleaning depends on several factors, including oral hygiene, dietary habits, dental history, and dental anatomy. People with perfect oral health, straight teeth, optimal occlusion, a diet with minimal sugars, and no history of gum disease may have to schedule regular cleaning once in one or two years.
However, people with poor oral health, a history of gum disease, or poor bite may need more frequent teeth cleaning. Your dentist will recommend the ideal professional dental cleaning schedule according to your unique dental anatomy.
Why can’t I just come once a year for a cleaning? Is every 6 months necessary?
As mentioned previously, regular cleaning once every 6 months isn’t necessary for everyone. The “6 months” figure is really just a guideline rather than a hard-and-fast rule, based on an average of how long it takes for significant plaque and tartar accumulation in adult teeth. The specific frequency of teeth cleaning depends on your unique needs.
You can schedule regular teeth cleaning once a year if your dentist determines that you have a low risk of gum disease. However, if you have a high risk of gum disease, the dentist may also recommend teeth cleaning once every 3 months — it depends on your unique situation. Please defer to your dentist’s recommendation for the ideal frequency of teeth cleaning.
What is the difference between a regular cleaning and a deep cleaning (scaling and root planing)?
Regular cleaning is a routine dental service that removes months of accumulated plaque from your teeth to prevent gum disease and dental decay. The process involves the use of a scaling device to scrape off all the accumulated plaque and tartar.
Deep cleaning, also called scaling and root planing, is an advanced form of dental cleaning used to treat early gum disease. The scaling procedure removes all the accumulated plaque and tartar, and the root planing procedure smoothens the root’s surface to ensure optimal gum healing.
Schedule your dental cleaning near me.
DentistHoustonTX is one of the most reputable clinics for dental deep cleaning near me and routine dental cleaning services. We carefully examine your teeth and gum tissues to recommend the ideal dentist teeth cleaning plan to ensure optimal oral health for you and your family. For more information, please schedule your dental cleaning near me today.