I Brush and Floss Daily: Why Do I Need Professional Dental Cleanings?

You know that brushing and flossing every day is the way to go, so you might wonder how important it is to keep up professional cleanings with your dentist. At Arya Dental, our specialist training enables us to track your oral health to give your teeth a deep clean that brushing and flossing at home can’t replicate.

Why brushing and flossing is not enough

Your dental health may offer a surprising insight into other areas of your well-being, often before any other signs or symptoms present themselves. A variety of chronic conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, and osteoporosis, have been linked to oral health in medical studies. 

When we examine your teeth and gums during a dental cleaning, we note any signs of infection, inflammation, or bruxism (teeth-grinding or clenching) that may be present. We can refer you for further medical tests with early detection of symptoms, should these be necessary.

Avoiding periodontal disease

While brushing and flossing at home handle much of the healthy mouth battle, chronic oral health conditions can still develop without consistent visits to your dentist.

Almost half of people over 30 in the United States suffer from some form of periodontal disease. The best way to avoid becoming a victim of the leading cause of tooth decay and tooth loss? Make an appointment with Arya Dental for regular cleanings. 

Professional dental cleanings remove the build-up of plaque and tartar on your teeth. Plaque is a sticky film that accumulates on your teeth due to bacteria in your mouth, which survive on the minuscule food particles left behind when you eat. Plaque hardens and becomes tartar when inevitably missed while brushing and flossing.

Tartar accumulates at the gum line and can get under the gums, where it causes inflammation, irritation, and infection. Bleeding gums when brushing is a common sign of gingivitis, the earliest stage of gum disease. Without treatment, you may experience red gums, pain, bad breath, or loose teeth. 

If left untreated, infections can spread to the jaw bone, causing even more health complications. Smoking, diabetes, being immunocompromised, and a family history of gum disease are all factors that can put you at greater risk.

What to expect during your dental cleaning

During a deep cleaning, we loosen and remove plaque and tartar from your teeth and gum line with ultrasonic or manual instruments in a process called root planing or scaling. After the build-up and bacteria get cleaned out, your gums can heal themselves, and regular dental cleanings going forward will be quicker and easier.

Our team at Arya Dental is committed to the health of your teeth and gums. It’s time to recommit to your oral health now, so call us or request an appointment online at our Fullerton, California, office today!