The Benefits of Professional Teeth Cleanings

The Benefits of Professional Teeth Cleanings

Regular professional teeth cleanings play an integral role in your oral health. Our Wahiawa, HI, dentist, Dr. Mildred Arucan-Masunaga,teeth cleanings shares a few benefits of professional cleanings.

A sparkling smile

Over time, surface stains from foods and beverages can dull your teeth. Cleaning and polishing your teeth help them look their best.

Fresher breath

Bad breath can occur if tiny pieces of food become trapped between your teeth. Although brushing and flossing usually remove food debris, sometimes it's not possible to get rid of it yourself if parts of your teeth overlap. As the food decays, it may emit strong odors that can make your breath smell bad. Professional cleanings tackle every millimeter of your teeth and remove particles that can cause breath odor.

Lower cavity risk

Cavities are more likely to happen if you have plaque on your teeth. Brushing alone may not be enough to remove the sticky coating if your teeth are crowded or overlap. Unfortunately, if you don't get rid of every trace of plaque, you may develop a cavity. Your cavity risk increases if you have plaque and eat sugary foods or foods high in carbohydrates.

Reduced chance of gum disease

Professional cleanings also remove tartar, a hard deposit that forms when plaque remains on your teeth too long. It doesn't take long for the change to occur. Tartar can appear as little as 10 days after plaque first coats your teeth. Although flossing and brushing can help reduce your tartar risk, it's not unusual to have a little tartar on your teeth, particularly if you have a few hard-to-clean spots.

If you don't visit our Wahiawa office every six months for a cleaning, tartar can irritate your gums and cause gum disease. Bleeding gums, receding teeth, and bad breath are signs of gingivitis, the first stage of gum disease. A thorough cleaning may be all you need to improve the condition of your gums if you have gingivitis. If the disease has progressed, you'll require more extensive treatment to ensure that you don't lose any teeth. Luckily, regular cleanings can help you avoid gum disease.

Is it time for your next professional cleaning? Call our Wahiawa, HI, dentist, Dr. Arucan-Masunaga, at (808) 622-0001 to schedule an appointment.

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