Professional Cleaning at the Dentist: Why Is It so Important?

Maintaining good oral hygiene is what keeps one's teeth and gums healthy. What's more, there has been a proven association between the health of a person's mouth and their overall health. This only adds to the importance of proper dental care that can keep the teeth and gums healthy. In light of that, let's go through some basic oral hygiene practices.

 First things first, the most proactive step you can take in order to remove plaque and bacteria and keep your teeth clean is to brush them regularly at home. However, brushing may only be effective if you use the correct technique – avoid sawing back and forth motions, don't do it aggressively as doing so can damage the tooth enamel and gums and don't neglect your tongue every time you brush your teeth. You may also want to use a toothpaste that has fluoride in it because experts claim that fluoride helps to prevent caries. Also, since the toothbrush can't reach all places, you should view flossing as important as brushing as it can prevent bad breath by removing debris and food that has become trapped between the teeth.

Besides getting the right oral care products, you should as well be mindful of your daily habits. On that note, it's recommended to drink water after every meal to help wash out some of the negative effects of sticky and acidic foods and beverages. You can also make sure you eat enough crunchy fruits and vegetables to get those jaws working and limit your sugar and coffee intake as they can wear down your tooth enamel.

Although good oral hygiene at home is very important, sometimes no matter how much you brush and floss, you may still have bacteria in the mouth. These bacteria can use ingredients found in our diet and saliva to grow and form a sticky film called plaque. Over time, if plaque isn’t removed on a regular basis, it can harden and turn into tartar. Tartar removal can be only done by professionals that provide dental health services. Hardened tartar trapped in the pocket between the gums and the teeth can cause gum inflammation in the short term and receding gum disease in the long term and that's why you need to turn to dental health services providers for a proper treatment.

Finally, not only can a dentist remove tartar and stains, but they will also be able to spot potential issues and offer treatment solutions. As as rule of thumb, it's in your best interest to go see a dentist for a check up every six months.