Periodontal Treatment

Following your dental cleaning, you can expect clean teeth, fresh breath, and an attractive smile. Dental cleanings are painless, and usually take less than 45 minutes. During your cleaning, our dentist will scrape off any plaque on your teeth, and then clean and polish your teeth to remove bacteria biofilm on and between your teeth. We may also provide a fluoride treatment if it seems that your teeth are at a higher risk for tooth decay.

The American Dental Association recommends that both children and adults receive a professional teeth cleaning and exam twice a year. Patients with a history of periodontal disease or another recurring oral disease or condition may require more frequent treatments.

The best way to keep your teeth and gums healthy between dental cleanings is to brush your teeth in the morning and before you go to bed, or after each meal, floss daily, and rinse with an antibacterial mouthwash.

Replace your toothbrush every 2-3 months, and avoid hard-bristled toothbrushes, as they can cause tooth sensitivity and encourage bleeding gums.

We encourage you to contact our dentist if you are experiencing dental pain. Waiting could exacerbate your condition, and early treatment is always less invasive and more cost-effective.

You can avoid expensive dental procedures in the future by getting a dental cleaning, which keeps your teeth and gums clean and healthy. Leaving gum disease untreated can result in deep cleaning (scaling and root planing), gum grafting, bone grafting, or a tooth replacement, for example.

Nope! Dental cleanings do not induce any pain, though there may be slight sensitivity during or after. The products used by the hygienist are much stronger than store-bought ones, which makes them great for plaque and tartar removal, but they can make the teeth feel more sensitive.

Yes! While a dental cleaning may not necessarily remove stains, when done regularly, they can help prevent staining from occurring. The products used in a general dentistry office are much stronger than those used at home, which means they are better able to remove the buildup that can cause staining.

A general dentistry practice will likely take an hour to complete a dental cleaning. Individuals who undergo dental cleanings twice a year may also have an examination, fluoride application and X-rays taken, which can make the appointment take longer. That said, generally it should not go past 90 minutes at most.

Many patients ask us if a manual or electric toothbrush is better and our answer is that both are effective for keeping teeth clean. According to the American Dental Association, both manual and electric toothbrushes are equally effective in cleaning teeth.

A dental teeth cleaning removes plaque and tartar that builds up on the teeth over time. Plaque is a sticky, soft film that contains millions of bacteria that love to live on your teeth. If left unchecked, these bacteria can cause cavities, gum disease and other complications that you want to avoid.

Generally, we will use an ultrasonic instrument and a dental mirror to examine the teeth and look for signs of irritation, swelling, decay, tartar or bleeding. Without treatment, these can lead to further problems in the future. The ultrasonic instrument we use has a mild vibration technology that loosens larger pieces of tartar.

It also sprays mists of cool water to wash away the tartar and debris loosened by the vibrations. The tip of the ultrasound instrument is rounded and curved and is kept in constant motion. Once we remove the larger pieces of tartar, we will switch to find a handheld instrument to eliminate the deposits on the tooth and smooth the tooth surface.