Keeping your smile clean begins at home, but in order to really maintain your smile, you need the help of a dental professional. That is why the American Dental Association and our Elmhurst dentists recommends that all dental patients complete professional dental cleanings every six months or so.
The first reason that this is so important is because professional cleanings are much more thorough and comprehensive than at-home cleanings. The tools that our dentists use to clean your teeth are capable of removing tartar from your smile. Tartar is calcified plaque—it is full of oral bacteria, and it can lead to cavities as well as gum disease. Tartar is really stuck on your smile, so you can’t really buff it away on your own at home. When you come in for a cleaning, our team will refresh your smile, so that you can maintain it until your next appointment.
Additionally, when you come in for a cleaning, our dental team will complete an oral cancer screening. Oral cancers, like other cancers, are most easy to treat in their earliest stages, so regularly scheduled cleanings can make all of the difference.
Professional dental cleanings also allow our dental team to regularly check your smile for any signs of emerging dental problems—like cavities and gum disease. It can be very difficult for patients to notice early stages of dental decay on their own—because these infections are often asymptomatic at first. Our dental team, however, can help you get the prompt treatment that you need to get ahead of dental damage.
We know that it is so easy to fall behind in your dental cleaning schedule. So, if it has been awhile since you’ve had a professional cleanings, now is the time to get back on track! Call our Elmhurst dentists when you are ready to get started!