All about professional dental cleaning and prophylaxis
Cavity prevention should begin as early as the primary dentition stage. Premature loss or infections in baby teeth can have serious consequences, affecting the permanent dentition and leading to crowding, misalignments, and changes in the shape and color of permanent teeth.
A key moment is the eruption of the first permanent molar, which appears at around six years of age behind the baby teeth. This molar must be sealed immediately after eruption. The same applies at around twelve years of age, when the second permanent molar erupts — sealing the grooves and pits is essential.
We recommend dental cleaning every six months for patients with healthy gums (periodontium). For those with periodontal disease or wearing orthodontic appliances, we advise professional cleaning every three months.
Dental cleaning involves the removal of tartar using ultrasound tools, followed by the elimination of stains, discoloration, and bacterial plaque with the airflow device (a high-speed jet of flavored bicarbonate powder).
This is followed by polishing the tooth surfaces with a professional brushing, disinfecting with mouthwash, and applying fluoride treatment. We place strong emphasis on oral hygiene instruction. We recommend vertical brushing, the use of mouthwash and dental floss, and changing your toothbrush every three months.
Curiosities about dental hygiene
What is dental prophylaxis?
Professional dental cleaning involves the removal of calculus (scaling), airflow, professional brushing and fluorination. Our dental clinic offers all prophylaxis treatments in order to prevent the development of oral lesions.
Why Is professional dental cleaning so important?
Dental prophylaxis prevents the development of cavities, gingivitis and other oral lesions, by removing bacterial plaque and calculus that can not be eliminated just by daily at home brushing at least twice a day.
How often should professional dental cleaning be made?
It is recommended that professional dental cleaning be performed once every 6 months. In patients with periodontal problems, the time between cleanings can be reduced to 3-4 months, according to the indications given by the dentist.
Professional prophylaxis – is it painful?
This procedure is generally not painful. If the patient presents with dental sensibility or gum problems, the dentist can use special methods to ensure that the patient is comfortable during the intervention.
What happens during a professional cleaning session?
A complete session includes the procedure of scaling for the removal of calculus, professional brushing and airflow for the removal of discoloration, as well as fluoride treatment for the protection of tooth enamel.
What type of brush should we use?
We recommend the use of a manual brush of medium hardness and vertical brushing that includes massage of the gums. We recommend that the brush be changed once every 3 months.
