5 Reasons You Should Have Your Teeth Professionally Cleaned

It’s not uncommon to procrastinate when scheduling a professional dental cleaning. Despite proof that regular dental checkups can prevent tooth decay, gum disease, and tooth loss, 100 million Americans don’t see a dentist every year. 

While it may seem inconvenient to fit a professional cleaning into your busy schedule, this type of preventive care can ultimately save you time. Professional dental cleanings help you avoid more complicated procedures that require multiple office visits to correct. 

Tooth decay and gum disease can cause pain and sensitivity, though the damage often starts long before symptoms occur. You may not notice a problem in its early stages when it is easier to repair.

You’ll get the most from your professional cleaning if you receive care from a dental office that includes a comprehensive exam as part of your appointment. Dentist, Wayne Hofflich, DDS, of SmileBoutique in Mount Vernon, New York, provides professional teeth cleaning that includes a thorough assessment of your dental health. 

The team at SmileBoutique also works to maintain your overall well-being by evaluating your mouth for signs of overall health issues known to affect your teeth and gums. 

You’ll gain several benefits from a professional cleaning. Here are five reasons why you should book your appointment soon.

#1 Prevent tooth loss

You’re already protecting your oral health if you brush twice a day. However, only a dental professional can determine whether you’re doing enough to prevent tooth loss since the early stages of tooth decay can occur without symptoms. About 26% of adults age 20 to 64 live with untreated tooth decay.

Your professional cleaning at SmileBoutique includes several screening procedures that help keep your teeth and gums healthy. X-rays are used to assess the condition of your teeth, gums, and tooth roots. Attending twice-annual cleanings helps the dental staff monitor changes that occur between visits.

Professional cleaning involves the removal of plaque, a bacteria-filled film that forms on your teeth. It’s important to remove plaque before it becomes tartar, which causes cavities and irritates your gums. 

#2 Keep your gums healthy

The dental team at SmileBoutique examines more than your teeth during a professional cleaning. Like tooth decay, gum disease can develop and progress without you knowing it. The staff examines common indicators of gum health such as signs of gum recession, firmness, and bleeding. 

During its early stages, gum disease is called gingivitis. Without treatment, gingivitis progresses to periodontal disease. The condition can cause your gums to pull away from your teeth, destroy bone, and make your teeth fall out. 

Your dentist determines your risk for periodontal disease by measuring the pocket depth of the groove between your gums and your teeth with a small ruler called a periodontal probe. Gum disease is typically defined as depths deeper than 4 mm. 

#3 Correct bad habits

The condition of your teeth and gums can serve as red flags warning that some destructive habits have begun to affect your mouth. A dental professional can identify signs of teeth grinding, smoking or chewing tobacco, brushing too hard, or using your teeth as tools. 

When problems are recognized, the staff at SmileBoutique can help you correct bad habits with education or treatment.

#4 Screen for oral cancer

Every year, about 53,000 Americans are diagnosed with oral or oropharyngeal cancer. Since most patients are asymptomatic in the early stages of the disease, the condition often evolves without detection until it has metastasized to another part of your body when it is harder to treat. 

The team at SmileBoutique performs an oral cancer screening during your professional cleaning. This painless examination assesses your cheeks, lips, tongue, palate, the floor of your mouth, and gums, as well as your head and neck.

Signs of oral cancer may include white or red patches or other growths, which can occur behind your teeth or under your tongue where you may not notice them. 

#5 Protect your health

Professional cleaning also reduces your risk of gum disease. Untreated gum disease increases the bacteria in your mouth, making it more likely that the infection can spread and affect other parts of your body. There is growing evidence that people with gum disease are more likely to have health conditions like cardiovascular disease, cancer, and respiratory disease.

Your first warning about the possibility of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, or thyroid disease, osteoporosis, may occur during a routine dental checkup. More than 90% of all systemic diseases produce some type of oral symptoms such as mouth ulcers, swollen gums, bad breath, or dry mouth. 

Make time for twice-annual professional cleanings. The result can help you maintain your oral health and overall well-being. Call our office today to schedule an appointment.