Like flossing, professional dental cleanings are often overlooked until something goes wrong. If you practice good oral hygiene and eat a healthy diet, do you really need to go to the dentist every year for a professional cleaning?
Even if you brush and floss every day, your oral hygiene routine is only one part of the equation. Professional cleanings pick up what floss and your toothbrush leave behind, and prevent plaque and tartar from building up and increasing your risk of gum disease in the future.
At Arden Dental Group, our team of dentists and hygienists offer preventive dentistry services to patients in the greater Asheville, North Carolina, area.
We provide comprehensive professional teeth cleanings that include an exam to check the health of your teeth and gums and removal of any plaque and tartar buildup since your last appointment. Your dentist and hygienist may also recommend a flouride treatment.
If you haven’t been flossing regularly and have signs of gum disease like bleeding gums or inflammation (common symptoms of gingivitis, which is the first stage of gum disease), you may need additional treatments to get your gums back in shape.
One of the advantages of regular professional cleanings is that they allow us to catch oral health problems as soon as possible, before they cause permanent damage and become more invasive and expensive to treat.
Your dental exam and professional cleaning at Arden Dental Group also includes X-rays and routine oral cancer screenings.
We recommend that you schedule a dental exam and cleaning every six months. Depending on your situation and your oral health and medical history, we may recommend that you get a professional cleaning and dental exam more or less frequently.
If it’s been more than six months since your last dental exam and cleaning, or if you’ve noticed new symptoms like bleeding when you brush or floss your teeth, swollen or puffy gums, pain, or signs of infection, give us a call to schedule an appointment as soon as possible.
Even if you think your teeth and gums are healthy, many oral health problems don’t present symptoms. You can have plaque and tartar buildup without knowing it. Once that happens, you can develop pockets between your teeth and gums that trap bacteria and increase your risk of gum disease.
Advanced gum disease (periodontitis) can lead to permanent damage to your teeth and gums and result in tooth loss, but we can treat it successfully when caught early.
Contact us today for more information about our preventive dentistry services and to schedule an appointment for your next professional cleaning at Arden Dental Group.