Did you know that your mouth actually contains thousands of naturally occurring bacteria that love to live on the surface of your teeth and eat the same foods as you? Isn't it revolting? While some of them are good for your dental health, others are harmful. The good news is that you may remove extra germs from your teeth by brushing, flossing, and getting regular dental cleanings.

The American Dental Association recommends that people visit their local dental practice once every six months for a dental exam and cleaning to prevent bacteria populations from developing and causing dental disorders.. Professional teeth cleanings will remove extra plaque and tartar, while dental exams will allow your general dentist to assess the health of your teeth and gums.  Germs thrive in tooth plaque and tartar, and this kills a lot of bacteria.

Your dentist will perform one of four types of dental cleanings, depending on the quantity of plaque and tartar on your teeth:

Prophylaxis Dental Cleaning 

"To prevent disease" is the definition of prophylaxis. As a result, prophylactic dental cleanings are used to clean healthy teeth in order to keep them free of tooth decay and gum disease. Prophylaxis cleanings use a dental scaler or a water stream to remove plaque and tartar from the front, back, and sides of teeth. Most dental patients simply need a prophylaxis cleaning, especially if they practice regular oral hygiene and attend semi-annual dental checkups.

Scaling and Root Planning Cleaning 

Scaling and root planing cleanings, also known as deep cleanings, are used to treat gingivitis and periodontitis by cleaning the teeth and gum pockets. Gingivitis deep cleanings are usually accomplished in a single dental visit. Periodontitis deep cleanings, on the other hand, may necessitate numerous appointments and local anesthetics, depending on the severity of the condition.

Scaling is a procedure that eliminates plaque and tartar from the surface of the teeth as well as the gum pockets that occur beneath the gum line as a result of gum disease. This not only removes bacteria, but it also reduces gum irritation. Root planing smooths the dental roots, allowing the gums to reconnect to the teeth and eliminate gum pockets.

Periodontal Maintenance Cleaning 

Periodontal maintenance cleanings are sometimes known as periodontal disease cleanings. They remove extra plaque and tartar from the tooth surface and gum pockets, then smooth out the roots if necessary, similar to scaling and root planing. Periodontal maintenance cleanings differ from other types of dental cleanings in that they are usually conducted more frequently. This is because gum disease is a degenerative condition that will worsen if not treated properly.

Gross Debridement Cleaning 

Gross debridement cleanings are the most thorough of teeth cleanings, designed to remove large amounts of plaque and tartar from teeth. Individuals who struggle to maintain an oral hygiene practice or who have avoided the dentist for a long time fall into this category. During thorough debridement cleanings, an electrical instrument is utilized to dislodge tartar, since they r are very difficult to remove. After the excess plaque and tartar have been removed, the teeth are cleaned using a prophylaxis cleaning.

As you can see, based on what your dentist finds during your dental exam, your dentist may utilize several sorts of dental cleanings. While all of these cleanings follow the same basic principles, they take slightly varied approaches depending on the circumstances. Only one question remains now that you've learned about the four types of dental cleanings: when was the last time you had your teeth cleaned?