Professional Teeth Cleaning: Your Gateway to Great Dental Health

It’s great you brush twice a day for two minutes and that you never skip flossing. But even when you take great care of your teeth, you should never miss regular professional teeth cleanings. That’s because these routine visits play a large role in your oral health.

As part of your preventive oral health care plan, professional teeth cleaning should occur every six months. During your visit, your provider: 

• Visually examines your teeth, gums, and tongue
• X-rays your teeth and jaw to look for underlying conditions
• Performs a comprehensive teeth cleaning to remove plaque and tartar buildup

At Silicon Valley Dental Associates in Sunnyvale, California, our team relies on these appointments to perform preventive care. We can also identify and address any problems early, like cavities that are starting to form. 

Here’s how a professional teeth cleaning can enhance your oral health.

Keeps tooth decay at bay

One of the most important parts of a dental cleaning is removing the clear, sticky film that builds up on your teeth. This acidic substance known as plaque is the primary cause of tooth decay. 

But as damaging as it can be, it isn’t always visible to the naked eye. When ignored, it hangs around on your teeth and erodes your tooth enamel, which increases your risk of developing cavities.

Decreases your chances of tooth loss

When plaque builds up on your teeth and under your gumline, you run the risk of getting gum disease. Nearly half of Americans 30 and older have gum disease. 

This serious dental issue describes an infection in the soft tissues of your mouth. Without treatment, it destroys the bone supporting your teeth, causing tooth loss. Approximately 178 million Americans have at least one missing tooth, and 30% of those between 65-74 have no natural teeth left at all. 

Brightens your teeth and freshens your breath

Even with the most vigilant brushing and flossing, food particles and plaque can still hide between your teeth. On top of that, consuming certain items on a regular basis — like tea, coffee, and red wine — leads to staining that won’t come off with brushing alone. 

During your regular professional teeth cleanings, we not only scrub off these troublesome stains, but we also remove hidden particles in your mouth that can cause persistently bad breath.

Improves your overall health

Still need a reason to schedule your dental cleaning? Do it for your overall health. Your oral health and general health may not seem related, but they’re intimately linked. 

In fact, maintaining your oral health can help reduce your chances of certain diseases, including heart disease and stroke. That’s because when you have bacteria and inflammation in your mouth, it doesn’t stay there. Instead, it enters your bloodstream and moves through your body, lowering your resistance to infection and compromising your health. 

A few conditions linked to poor oral health include:

• Cardiovascular disease
• Pneumonia and other respiratory diseases
• Complications during pregnancy
• Endocarditis (heart infection)

Similarly, your oral health can be negatively impacted by some medical conditions, like diabetes, osteoporosis, HIV/AIDS, and Alzheimer’s disease.

To learn more about how teeth cleanings can improve your oral health, contact Silicon Valley Dental Associates to make an appointment. Give us a call at 408-898-4384 or request a consultation online today.