Have you ever said something like, “It’s the least I could do?” Why would anyone do the least they could do, especially when it comes to taking care of your health. When it comes to maintaining your oral health, the least that you should do is brush your teeth twice a day and floss your teeth daily. What else should you do to keep your mouth, gums and teeth healthy? Have a dentist in Winnipeg professionally clean your teeth. Why?
Cleanings will prevent cavities
No matter how well you brush your teeth and floss your gums, plaque may accumulate in hard-to-reach places. The longer that plaque remains in place, the more likely it will develop into tartar that only your hygienist and dentist in Winnipeg will be able to remove. If that accumulating plaque and tartar are not completely removed from your teeth regularly, they’ll produce bacteria that will destroy the enamel on your teeth and cause cavities. While cavities can be treated effectively with fillings, large and multiple cavities will eventually destroy so much tooth matter that you’ll gradually lose your complete ability to chew and bite freely. In the worst-case scenario that you don’t get a cavity filled, the infection that caused the cavity in the first place will continue to destroy tooth matter until a root canal or extraction may be required.
Cleanings prevent gum disease
The same plaque and tartar that produce cavities in your teeth also produce periodontal disease affecting the soft gum tissues around your teeth. Gums are more than just for looks (if you even notice them at all, except when they’re bleeding). Gums support your teeth in position and seal the interior of your jaw from acids and bacteria. The initial and minor stage of periodontal disease called gingivitis causes bleeding gums and inflammation but can be reversed by a renewed commitment to oral hygiene. The advanced and serious version of periodontal disease — periodontitis — will gradually destroy gum tissue and eventually cause loose teeth and even tooth loss. Getting your teeth cleaned regularly at a dentist near you will prevent the development of gum disease.
Cleanings will reduce the stains on your teeth
Dental cleaning in Winnipeg is not the same as teeth whitening, but your dentist in Winnipeg will remove all surface stains, plaque, tartar, acids, bacteria and food particles that will unless removed, eventually cause deeper stains on teeth that will have to be bleached away. Regular cleanings won’t bleach your teeth, but they’ll certainly brighten them and get them as white as can be short of bleaching.
You’ll have better breath
Many of the millions of millions of bacteria in your mouth feast on food particles, starches, sugars and other substances in your mouth to produce foul smells that taint your breath. As if causing cavities and gum disease wasn’t bad enough! One of the best ways to maintain fresher breath is to regularly have your teeth cleaned.
You’ll be healthier overall
As if tooth loss and the destruction of gum tissue weren’t a serious enough consequence of periodontitis, untreated gum disease has been associated with a wide range of serious, chronic and in some cases life-threatening medical conditions. Chronic medical conditions associated with untreated gum disease include diabetes, endocarditis, cardiovascular disease, premature births, low birth weights, pneumonia, strokes, rheumatoid arthritis and even dementia.
How often should you have your teeth cleaned?
Rules of thumb are tricky because everyone is different and everyone has different personal priorities and goals. Just how often you should have your teeth cleaned is something you should talk to your dentist about. As a very general rule, though, someone who does not have gum disease should have their teeth cleaned every six months (twice annually). If you do have periodontitis, you should have your teeth cleaned quarterly (every three months). Undergoing a dental cleaning near you to treat periodontitis will involve a “deep cleaning” that will include scaling and root planing.