Traditional methods of oral hygiene (brushing, flossing, mouth wash, etc…) are effective at preventing cavities, most tartar build-up and gum disease and should be practiced daily. However, our dentists specialists in Columbus Ohio believe these methods are only a part of the overall dental hygiene picture, there are simply places that a toothbrush and floss cannot always reach. This allows for tartar buildup. At Worthington Pediatric Dentists, we want our little patients of Columbus, Ohio to not only practice and develop all of these habits, but to also educate themselves on the full picture of dental hygiene, and at an early age. Complete oral hygiene care includes getting rid of the tartar build-up that can occur in hard-to-reach places, and the only thing missing to complete the picture is bi-annual, professional teeth cleaning.
A dental cleaning is a professional cleaning you receive from a dentist or dental hygienist, and you’ll be happy to know that most dental cleanings only take between 25 and 30 minutes. Cleanings should be performed every six months to prevent excessive plaque buildup. A routine dental cleaning should include scaling, tooth polishing, and debridgement.
- Scaling: This is the process of removing plaque and tartar from all tooth surfaces in a variety of methods, depending on the amount of plaque and tartar. Dental hygienists traditionally perform scaling by hand. However, new and advanced technology has led to more modern methods such as electric scalers. This sophisticated tool allows dental cleanings to be performed more efficiently and in less time. To achieve best results, both electric and manual scaling methods are combined for dental cleanings.
- Tooth Polishing: the act of smoothing the tooth surface. The purpose of polishing is to make it difficult for plaque to accumulate on the tooth surface area.
- Debridgement: the necessary removal of plaque and calculus that have accumulated on the teeth in order to maintain oral health
The best part — these services are almost always free. Most insurance companies will completely cover the cost of two dental cleanings per year. Find the best dentists in Columbus Ohio today with Worthington Pediatric!