Dental Cleaning: Do-It-Yourself, Then Go to the Dentist!
When talking about oral hygiene, there are several things we all know to do to avoid going to the dentist. We brush twice a day for five minutes, we floss once a day, and we avoid eating sticky, sugary foods. In short, we do the preventive medicine required for minimal oral health.
Part of this bare minimum includes making sensible food choices. Any foods that augment muscle and bone growth are generally recommended for teeth and gums. A common sense diet rich in B Vitamins, calcium, manganese, zinc, Vitamin C is recommended, while excess glucose (and other sugars) should be avoided.
But, no matter how you slice it, the time will come for a professional dental cleaning. Maybe you smoke. Maybe you drink coffee or tea and the stains are starting to set in. Maybe you’ve got periodontal sensitivity and you need someone to look at your gums. Even all the newfangled teeth whiteners and stain removers on the market are no substitute for semi-annual dental cleaning.
Routine dental cleanings are your first line of defense against oral cancers, gum disease, ulceration, and easily avoidable oral health problems such as bad breath (halitosis), gingivitis, tartar (calculus) buildup, and tooth decay. While brushing and flossing alone can remove as much as 70% of the plaque on your teeth, the other 30% lurks in areas that are harder to reach, and professional cleanings are the most sensible preventive medicine.
The main thing your dentist will do is clean your teeth and gums. This sounds simple, but as gum disease accounts for about 35% of adult tooth loss, prevention is still the best medicine. Good dentists will also recommend that you clean your tongue, a practice also espoused in Ayurvedic (East Indian) medicine as a vital health practice. Tongue cleaning gets rid of the layer of bacteria, fungi, and decaying food cells that regularly enshroud the tongue.
Polishing is the final step of a good dental cleaning, and involves two main kinds of polishers: the prophy jet polisher and the rubber tip polish with prophy paste. Prophy jet polishing works but spraying powered water mixed with baking soda on the teeth. The powered water helps remove any excess plaque, and the baking soda neutralizes acidic conditions in the mouth while simultaneously fighting stains. Rubber tip polishing normally implements a polishing paste made of abrasive materials that remove stains.
A professional dental cleaning for children usually consists of scaling and polishing. Scaling is simply the removal of plaque, and traditionally it involved scraping the excess tartar from the teeth using dental instruments, and was done manually. However, recent technological advancements have increased the scope of scaling, and scaling can now be done electrically, ultrasonically, or with lasers.
Polishing is the final step of a good dental cleaning. Prophy jet polishing works but spraying powered water mixed with baking soda on the teeth. The powered water helps remove any excess plaque, and the baking soda neutralizes acidic conditions in the mouth while simultaneously fighting stains. Your dentist is equipped with the knowledge and the technology to optimize your own personal dental hygiene program for maximum success. So, please, every six months, get thee to a dentist!
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.