Why Dental Cleanings Are Essential

The Pacific cleaner shrimp makes its living by giving out free dental cleanings. The colorful tropical decapod waits on a coral reef until a fish swims up close and opens its mouth. The shrimp takes this as its cue to go inside the fish’s mouth where it cleans off debris and bacteria.

What’s truly remarkable about this arrangement is the fish never takes advantage of the shrimp’s services by eating it. This may be because fish understand how essential dental cleanings are to their health. (It may also partly be because the Pacific cleaner shrimp’s diet does not make it especially tasty.)

Just to make sure: Our dental hygienists are not shrimps, and our patients are not fish. We just wish to illustrate the universal necessity of dental cleanings!

What Is a Dental Cleaning?

A dental cleaning is a routine oral treatment usually performed by a dental hygienist. First they perform a quick physical exam, during which they use a small mirror to inspect the teeth for cavities, cracks and other issues, as well as the surrounding mouth for signs of disease such as gingivitis and oral cancer.

The dental hygienist next uses a set of tools called scalers to gently remove plaque and tartar from the teeth. Tartar, which forms when plaque remains on the teeth for too long, is the harder of the two buildups and requires scraping for removal. The dental hygienist finally gives their patient a high-powered toothbrushing with gritty toothpaste, a thorough flossing and rinse, and a fluoride treatment if desired.

The American Dental Association recommends visiting the dentist’s office for teeth cleanings twice a year. Every other cleaning is the most convenient time to perform dental X-rays which reveal tooth decay, bone loss within the jaw, the presence of infection inside root canals, and other conditions which become easier to treat with early detection.

Why Are Dental Cleanings Essential?

Teeth cleaning will make your smile appear whiter, but that only scrapes the surface of its benefits. Regular dental cleanings may prevent multiple oral issues and diseases, including:

• Gum disease – Also known as periodontitis, gum disease is an infection of the soft tissue surrounding the teeth which may spread to destroy bone. If allowed to progress, gum disease may cause bad breath, sensitive and receding gums, and even tooth loss. Daily brushing and flossing are both effective at preventing gum disease, although dental cleanings provide even greater protection.
• Cavities – Also known as tooth decay, a cavity is an area of tooth enamel and/or dentin that has become permanently damaged by oral bacteria. Regular dental cleanings reduce the risk of cavities by removing the bacteria that cause them. Fluoride treatment may even reverse a cavity when it is administered during the early onset of tooth decay. Over 90 percent of American adults have had cavities, but an estimated 20 percent of children aged two to five have untreated cavities as well.
• Oral cancer – Poor oral hygiene doesn’t just increase your risk of developing oral cancer. It may be the sole cause of oral cancer. Dental cleaning may remove bacteria and other carcinogens before they are able to cause cancer. But even when oral cancer has already developed, early detection by a dental hygienist or dentist means you may need less aggressive treatment and have a higher chance of survival.
• Cardiovascular disease – Gum disease is bad enough on its own. Unfortunately, it is also strongly associated with heightened risk of developing heart disease. This is because bacteria which grow inside your mouth may travel through your bloodstream to other areas of your body, including your heart where they cause inflammation. Stroke and clogged arteries are both linked to heart inflammation caused by oral bacteria.
• Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders – Regular dental cleanings will not prevent TMJ disorders, which are typically caused by trauma, bad bite, arthritis and old age. But when your dentist detects that you are suffering from TMJ, they can prescribe treatment that reduces or even eliminates discomfort caused by the disorder.

Dental Cleanings in Logan, UT

Are dental cleanings essential to you? If you have teeth, they certainly are! And we’re All About Teeth. Please contact us today to schedule teeth cleaning in Logan, UT, as well as to ask about Dr. Corey Hogge’s wide range of other dental treatments and services.