Teeth Cleaning -Professional Dental Hygiene
What is dental calculus (or tartar)?
After eating plaque is accumulating on human teeth. The plaque that has accumulated at the gumline (where the tooth meets the gum) hardens due to the minerals in the saliva and gingival fluid. Calculus can be formed above the gingiva or gumline or below it. Hardened calculus contains both minerals and organic (cellular) components, its main component is calcium phosphate , but it also contains bacterial cells, proteins and lipids. Dental calculus is an ideal breeding ground for bacterial adhesion and continuous bacterial build up. Proper cleaning of the teeth prevents gingivitis and the subsequent symptom of bleeding gums.
Where is calculus mostly formed?
There are areas where calculus formation is particularly common, due to the proximity of salivary glands. Most characteristic location is the inner surface of the lower incisors and outer surfaces of maxillary molars.
Factors that influence calculus formation:
Diet, Oral care habits, Hereditary factors, Saliva constitution, Smoking, Drugs, Age. Learn more about what you can do against these at you next hygiene appointment.
What happens if I postpone my hygiene appointments?
It causes staining of you teeth, however dental calculus is not only an esthetic problem. Gum irritation, inflammation, bleeding, swelling and redness of the tissues are the obvious signs. As the inflammation goes deeper it can cause bone loss around you teeth and mobility of your teeth at a later stage.
How is a teeth cleaning appointment at Scott Family Dental?
Our hygienists will review your medical and dental history, update your radiography if necessary, and request a control examination with one of our dentists. The dental hygiene treatment includes the removal of plaque, calculus (the deposits that collect on the teeth) and staining, such as tea, red wine and tobacco. All treatments are carefully carried out. If you have sensitive teeth we offer local anesthetics during your dental cleaning/ hygiene appointment, administered by our dentists at Scott Family Dental. Regular hygiene treatment will deliver healthy gums and a brighter smile! We will teach you how to properly clean your teeth using a manual or electric toothbrush and by using tools such as dental floss to clean between your teeth. These tools can minimize dental calculus formation, thus helping you to keep your gums healthy. We can recommend the most up to date and affordable tooth brushes, that are available at our office.
Oral health education, pain free cleaning and scaling, radiography, polishing, fluoride, and desensitizing is part of your teeth cleaning appointment.
Your hygienist and dentist will be able to find forming cavities and other problems at an early stage, so preventing the problems and treating them at an early stage helps to maintain your oral health. Preventive night guards and esthetic whitening procedures are available at your hygiene appointment.
