Diet Fitness Health

When talking about oral hygiene, there are several things we all know to do to avoid going to the dentist. We brush twice a day for five minutes, we floss once a day, and we avoid eating sticky, sugary foods. In short, we do the preventive medicine required for minimal oral health.

Now that you’re listening, a qualified dentist or hygienist should do your dental cleaning, preferably every six months. Professional dental cleaning can be broken down into three main subcategories, namely: scaling, root planning, and polishing.

Scaling is simply the removal of plaque, and traditionally it involved scraping the excess tartar from the teeth using dental instruments, and is done manually. However, recent technological advancements have increased the scope of scaling.

Electric scaling was the first technological breakthrough, though dentists still recommend that electric scaling be accompanied by manual scaling. Even more recently, ultrasonic scaling has been developed using a machine called a cavitron to remove excess plaque. However, ultrasonic scaling typically removes only 50% of plaque, and manual scaling is recommended in conjunction with both electric and ultrasonic techniques. In recent years, laser techniques have been developed to remove pockets of plaque residing near or below the gum line, but these often require local anesthesia.

The American Dental Association (ADA) used to recommend that a child get their first dental cleaning at the age of three. But the recent wave of cavities in children entering kindergarten has forced the ADA to redefine their guidelines, and now most dentists recommend an initial visit to the dentist shortly after the eruption of the first teeth, which takes place during the first year.

Polishing is the final step of a good dental cleaning, and involves two main kinds of polishers: the prophy jet polisher and the rubber tip polish with prophy paste. Prophy jet polishing works but spraying powered water mixed with baking soda on the teeth. The powered water helps remove any excess plaque, and the baking soda neutralizes acidic conditions in the mouth while simultaneously fighting stains. Rubber tip polishing normally implements a polishing paste made of abrasive materials that remove stains.

Routine dental cleanings are your first line of defense against oral cancers, gum disease, ulceration, and easily avoidable oral health problems such as bad breath (halitosis), gingivitis, tartar (calculus) buildup, and tooth decay. While brushing and flossing alone can remove as much as 70% of the plaque on your teeth, the other 30% lurks in areas that are harder to reach, and professional cleanings are the most sensible preventive medicine.

Polishing is normally accomplished by spraying the teeth with powered water mixed with a baking soda solution. The powered water helps unhinge the most stubborn plaque, and the baking soda helps neutralize the acidic environment of the mouth. Neither of these procedures is painful, and the earlier your children receive proper dental cleanings, the more accustomed they will become to the process, and the better care they will take of their teeth.

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 2nd, 2008 at 3:18 am and is filed under Diseases. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.