By Dr. John Vitello
Expert Contributor
When most people think about a dental cleaning, they picture having their teeth polished, flossed, and sent on their way. But a thorough hygiene appointment is about much more than simply making your teeth feel clean.
Regular dental cleanings give our team an opportunity to evaluate your overall oral health, identify potential problems early, monitor changes over time, and create a hygiene experience that is specifically tailored to your individual needs.
Why You Should Have Your Teeth Cleaned at Least Twice a Year
Your Health and Medications Can Change
Your medical history is an important part of your oral health. During your visits, we have an opportunity to update any changes in your medical conditions or medications that could affect your mouth.
For example, certain medications can contribute to dry mouth, which reduces saliva’s natural ability to protect the teeth and can increase the risk of cavities. Diabetes can also increase the risk of developing periodontal (bone and gums that support the teeth) disease, making regular monitoring especially important.
Your mouth doesn’t exist separately from the rest of your body, which is why keeping your dental team informed about changes in your overall health is so important.
We Evaluate the Foundation Supporting Your Teeth
Healthy teeth depend on healthy gums and bone. During your hygiene visits, we evaluate the supporting structures around your teeth to look for signs of periodontal disease and other changes.
Regular professional cleanings can help maintain a healthy oral environment and prevent disease from progressing. When periodontal disease is already present, appropriate treatment and more frequent maintenance may be necessary.
Addressing periodontal problems can also help improve some of the symptoms associated with poor gum health, including:
- Bleeding gums
- Bad breath
- Gum inflammation
- Gum recession
- Sensitive teeth
- Bone loss that may lead to tooth loss
There is also growing research investigating connections between periodontal disease and overall health, including cardiovascular health and cognitive conditions such as dementia. This does not mean that gum disease directly causes these conditions, but maintaining healthy gums is an important part of taking care of your overall health.
We Screen for Oral Cancer
Your routine dental visit also provides an opportunity for an oral cancer screening.
We look for abnormalities involving the lips, cheeks, tongue, gums, throat, and other areas of the mouth along with any potential habits that may increase the risk of oral cancer. Prevention and early detection can be extremely important, which is one more reason not to skip your routine visits simply because nothing hurts.
We Look Beyond the Teeth
In our practice, we believe a comprehensive dental visit should involve more than looking at cavities.
We also evaluate aspects of our patients’ airway and breathing patterns. For example, we may look for signs that can be associated with mouth breathing, including enlarged tonsils or changes in the appearance of the gums.
Red, irritated, or bleeding gums around the front teeth may indicate chronic mouth breathing because the tissues are exposed to a constant flow of air rather than being protected by normal saliva.
We also pay attention to signs of pH imbalance and acid exposure.
Acid erosion can occur for a number of reasons, including dietary habits and acid reflux associated with underlying health conditions. Repeated exposure to acid can wear away tooth enamel, increasing sensitivity and making teeth more susceptible to cavities or fractures.
Identifying these signs allows us to discuss what may be contributing to the problem and what can be done to protect your teeth.
Your Cleaning Should Be Specific to You
Every patient’s mouth is different. That’s why we take pride in making our hygiene appointments a patient-specific experience.
Not everyone needs the same type of cleaning, the same frequency of visits, or the same products.
We begin by evaluating your periodontal health and classifying your hygiene needs. Some patients may have excellent periodontal health and require routine preventive cleanings, while others may require a deeper periodontal cleaning or more frequent maintenance appointments.
From there, we can customize the rest of your appointment based on your individual needs and goals.
Custom Polishing Options
Even the polishing can be patient-specific.
We offer different polishing agents designed to address specific concerns, including options for:
- Tooth sensitivity
- A brighter, shinier smile
- Polish that enhances crowns and veneers
- Polish with or without fluoride
The goal isn’t simply to polish every patient’s teeth the same way. It’s to select an option that makes sense for your teeth and your needs.
Fluoride and Cavity Prevention
Some patients are naturally more susceptible to cavities than others. If you are considered a high-cavity-risk patient, we may recommend additional protection.
Depending on your needs, we can provide:
- Prescription-strength fluoride toothpaste or mouthwash
- Fluoride treatments during your cleaning
- pH balancing toothpaste
We can also recommend products specifically designed for addressing patient’s symptoms or concerns such as sensitivity, bleeding gums, or whitening..
Hydroxyapatite: A Fluoride Alternative
We offer hydroxyapatite varnish as an alternative to fluoride. Hydroxyapatite is a mineral naturally found in teeth and bones. Similar to fluoride, topical hydroxyapatite can help with tooth sensitivity and support the remineralization of enamel.
The Goal: Treat the Patient, Not Just the Teeth
A dental cleaning shouldn’t be viewed as simply removing what’s on your teeth.
It should be an opportunity to evaluate, prevent, educate, and personalize.
Twice-yearly visits give us the chance to monitor your oral and periodontal health, screen for concerning changes, update your medical history, evaluate potential airway and acid-related issues, and identify problems before they become bigger ones.
And when it comes to your cleaning, we believe your treatment should be based on your mouth, your health, your risk factors, and your goals.
