Why Home Cleaning and Professional Dental Cleaning Are Not the Same

It's amazing how many people get confused when it comes to looking after their teeth. They may be perfectly convinced that their daily cleaning regime is top-quality and be happy that they brush and floss twice each day. They may think that they have a good quality toothpaste and make sure that they don't eat too many food items that could damage the enamel. As a consequence, they may not think that they need an additional dental cleaning, but this is an entirely different type of operation. What should you bear in mind, if this describes your way of thinking?

Plaque Is the Enemy

Plaque is a very difficult condition to control. It is formed when a thin film of bacteria adheres to the enamel of your teeth, which happens constantly throughout the day. When a very thin film is left on the teeth and around the periphery, it can lead to the generation of pockets of separation. This means that the gums will tend to pull away ever so slightly from the teeth, as the pockets form. Small particles of food will interact with the film and in time, will harden into tartar.

Why a Dental Visit Is Important

It is very difficult to clean your teeth at home sufficiently to stop the formation of this plaque and tartar. No matter how careful you are during your daily routine, it's almost inevitable for a certain amount of it to build up. This is why it's important to visit the dentist, so the technician can remove it by scaling. In the old days, this could be quite laborious and would take some time. However, a dental hygienist these days has access to some revolutionary, ultrasound technology to speed this up. It's no longer necessary to rely on a special instrument only, as ultrasound makes it a lot easier. Consequently, you may be able to get away with only one cleaning visit, whereas in the past you may have needed two.

How Does This Work?

Ultrasonic vibration is used to disintegrate and wash away hardened deposits of tartar. The instrument can also get into those difficult areas and pockets that are around the gums. This is because they have very small tips that are designed just for this purpose and far better than the old, manual instruments. At the same time as the instrument is disintegrating the tartar, a special attachment flushes it away using a water spray.

The scaler works by converting electrical impulses into mechanical energy in the form of tiny bubbles of water vapour. These are agitated to such a point that they implode and create a small burst of heat and pressure. This is done on a microscaler and is very efficient at loosening the tartar.

Time to Take Action

Now that you know the main difference between dental cleaning and home cleaning, don't forget to schedule a visit to bring you up to date. Contact a dental clinic near you for more information and assistance. 

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