Did you know that a routine dental cleaning is essential for kids and adults alike? With a cleaning, we have a way to gently and thoroughly remove all plaque and tartar buildup. In today’s blog, your team at Cedar West Dental in Richfield, MN, talks about how we help smiles by removing harmful buildup every six months!
The Onset of Your Plaque and Tartar Buildup
Over time, various factors could leave you with plaque and tartar buildup. When we don’t brush and floss, this leaves behind particles of sugar and starch for bacteria to consume, which creates plaque buildup. Obviously, a diet high in sugar and starch also promotes this complication. A lack of dental cleanings from our team every six months also leaves you vulnerable. With plaque, a sticky layer coats the teeth that brushing and flossing alone cannot remove. The layers then harden with time into tartar.
These layers can weaken and erode the outer enamel to make the onset of cavities more likely. The same buildup can irritate and inflame the gums, leading to gingivitis and even gum disease, which can threaten smile stability! But we can help with a professional cleaning every six months.
Dental Cleanings
We want to see you for a visit every six months, so we can remove the plaque and tartar from your teeth to protect your entire smile from decay and disease. The process involves using an ultrasonic scaling device to gently remove the layers, as the device will emit gentle vibrations that knock the layers loose. We then follow the device with a manual pick for any stubborn portions of tartar. The last step is to polish the teeth, which not only brightens them, but makes it harder for buildup to accumulate before we see you again in six months.
Fighting Plaque and Tartar at Home
You can also take steps at home to protect your smile! To limit accumulation, you can brush and floss daily, removing the stray food and drink particles that feed harmful bacteria. You should brush for two minutes when you wake up and do so again before bed, using a fluoride toothpaste each time. We also urge you to limit how much sugar and starch are in your diet, as this deprives harmful oral bacteria of a meal.
If you have any questions about our preventive treatments, or if you want to schedule a cleaning for you or a member of your family, then contact our team today to learn more!
Schedule A Visit with Our Team
We want to help safeguard smiles of all ages with a routine visit every six months. To learn more about how we control harmful layers, call Cedar West Dental in Richfield, MN, today at 612) 861-7188.
