The Importance of Professional Teeth Cleanings

Has it been a while since your last dental appointment? Perhaps your busy schedule caused you to cancel an appointment and you never got around to rescheduling it. Don’t delay in making your next appointment as your oral health is important to your general health. In-office screenings can detect cancer, gum disease, and other conditions that can adversely affect your health.

Dr. Kenn Kakosian, a board-certified dentist at DentAlignNYC in the Manhattan borough of New York City, offers regular teeth cleanings in addition to a comprehensive array of general, cosmetic, and Invisalign® dental services. Read on to learn the various ways professional teeth cleanings support optimum oral health.

Professional cleanings help prevent tooth decay

Tooth decay is one of the leading causes of tooth loss. Tooth loss requires extensive dental work such as bridges or implants. Without them, the loss of even one tooth leads to bone loss.

Even though your oral hygiene habits may be good, you can’t remove all of the plaque on your teeth; only professional cleanings can accomplish the task. Plaque results from food debris left on or between your teeth and gums mixed with your saliva. It contains bacteria which can damage your teeth and gums if not removed.

Plaque eventually hardens into a substance called tartar which sticks to your tooth enamel, leading to tooth decay. It can only be removed with a professional cleaning.

Professional cleanings help you avoid gum disease

Even with twice daily brushing and flossing, food particles can get stuck between your teeth and gums that you can’t remove. Without professional teeth cleanings, you’re more at risk for gum disease (periodontitis).

If gum disease is untreated, you develop gum recession where your gums pull away from your teeth. Keeping your teeth when you have advanced gum recession involves expensive gum grafts and other dental procedures. Regular professional cleanings help prevent gum inflammation that leads to gum disease.

Dental cleanings help remove stains on your teeth

Do you drink coffee, tea, or other dark beverages every day? Over time, these drinks leave your teeth looking dull and dingy.

Regular teeth cleanings help keep your smile bright. We also offer professional teeth whitening if you want an even more dazzling smile.

Teeth cleanings help prevent bad breath

Bacteria on your teeth and gums contributes to bad breath. While you may brush and floss regularly, sometimes it’s not enough to prevent this embarrassing problem. Our thorough cleaning process attacks tough bacteria attached to your tooth enamel that’s contributing to your bad breath.

We can see signs of cancer during your cleaning

Dr. Kakosian can spot signs of mouth and throat cancer and gum disease, both of which affect your overall health. Oral cancer rates have increased in recent years, and if you smoke you’re at a more elevated risk for oral cancer. If we see any suspicious signs, we refer you to an oral cancer specialist to help you get the prompt evaluation you need for timely treatment.

We can spot early gum disease that can affect your general health

Gum disease is now linked to the risk for heart disease. Inflammation from gum disease is carried through your bloodstream and can harm your artery walls and thus your cardiovascular system. We let you know if your gums show signs of inflammation as early treatment helps avoid more extensive dental procedures.

Schedule your professional dental cleaning now 

You should have your teeth professionally cleaned at least twice per year. If you have diabetes, gum disease, or other health issues, you’ll need cleanings more frequently.

Dr. Kakosian lets you know how often you should have your cleanings. Call DentAlignNYC or book an appointment online today to ensure your oral health.