Posted: April 30, 2015
Say you take exceptionally good care of your teeth. Your dental hygiene is impeccable: brush twice a day, floss daily, use antibacterial mouth rinse. Possibly you even stick to a diet that cuts out food and drinks that are acidic or high in sugar. Do you still need a professional dental cleaning twice a year?
The answer is yes. Regular dental cleanings at least twice a year are still critical to any preventive dentistry regimen. At The Practice at Maxwell Place, we see plenty of patients from Jersey City and Hoboken who are rigorous about cleaning their teeth, but who still have tartar and plaque when they come in for a cleaning. To understand why this is, it helps to have a clear understanding of what brushing your teeth actually accomplishes.
The plaque that collects on your teeth and gums is the product of a bacteria that naturally lives on your teeth. It feeds itself with sugars, so any food particles that remain on your teeth feed it and cause the amount of plaque to grow. Plaque and tartar (a hardened form of plaque that appears if the plaque stays on your teeth for long enough) are both acidic, so they slowly eat away at the enamel of your teeth if they stay on.
Brushing and flossing your teeth don't just remove food from your mouth- they also counter the acidic effects of the plaque and prevent it from spreading. But you can't remove much of the plaque from your mouth without flossing, and not even flossing will remove tartar. So without regular dental cleanings, small pockets of plaque and tartar can continue to build up, gradually causing infections in your teeth and gums.
The only way to be sure all these stray bits of plaque and tartar are removed is with a professional dental cleaning. We examine your teeth for any evidence of plaque buildup, and remove it with specialized dental tools. Dental cleanings can help remove minor staining from your teeth, and it gives Dr. DePaola the chance to check for more serious conditions, like oral cancer or TMJ. Patients with healthy teeth should schedule their teeth cleanings twice a year; patients with dental implants, a history of tooth decay, or a smoking habit may want to schedule more.
If you are looking for a dentist to clean your teeth, then you should schedule an appointment with The Practice at Maxwell Place by calling 201-792-9400. We serve patients in Jersey City, Hoboken, and the greater Hudson County area.
