How Often Should You Get Your Teeth Cleaned?

Older woman with glasses sitting in dental chair. Man in mask and white coat sits next to her writing on a clipboard.

If you brush twice a day and floss every day, why is it still important to get your teeth cleaned by a professional? Well, dental cleanings and exams allow your dentist to check up on your oral health, which can also affect your body’s overall health and well-being. Furthermore, tartar (which is what plaque hardens into) can only be removed in a professional dental clinic.

How often you should visit your dentist depends on your personal oral health needs, but for many people, a visit every 6 months is recommended. Between appointments, maintain healthy dental hygiene habits like brushing and flossing to help prevent cavities and gum disease.

If you’re anxious about dental cleanings, we also have sedation options available.

What Happens in a Dental Cleaning?

A dental cleaning is when a dentist or dental hygienist cleans your teeth using professional instruments. It’s also an opportunity for dentists to check in on their patients’ oral health and identify problem areas early. A dental cleaning and dental exam appointment may include:

  • Professional cleaning: A standard preventive dental hygiene appointment for people with good oral health is about an hour long. During this appointment, plaque and tartar build-up are removed with professional instruments. Tartar is what plaque turns into over time, and this hard substance can only be removed in a dental clinic.
  • X-rays: How often you need X-rays depends on your oral health status. X-rays can give your dentist valuable insights into your oral health: they can show cavities that are hiding under fillings, the presence of wisdom teeth that haven’t erupted, or loss of bone due to gum disease.
  • Dental exam: Performed by a dentist, a dental exam looks for signs of cavities and gum disease. It may also involve checking up on past dental work, looking for signs of mouth or throat cancer, examining your bite, and checking for signs of teeth grinding and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder.
  • Patient education: You can expect personalized insights on your oral health. We may also teach you brushing and flossing techniques you can use at home.

How Often Should You Get a Dental Cleaning?

For many people, the Canadian Dental Association (CDA) recommends dental cleaning every 6 months. But you may need to visit your dentist more or less often. How often you need a cleaning depends on your individual state of oral health. Factors like hygiene habits, diet, and tobacco use can affect how often you need a professional cleaning. 

We’ll recommend a cleaning frequency based on your oral health situation.

Man in blue scrubs, mask, and gloves using dental instruments to clean teeth of female patient in dental chair.

Why Dental Cleanings Are Important

Professional cleanings are important, even for healthy people with excellent home hygiene habits. 

Remove Tartar

Plaque is a sticky layer of bacteria coating your teeth. Plaque can be removed through brushing and flossing, but it can harden into tartar within 24 to 36 hours. Unlike plaque, tartar requires a professional cleaning to remove.

Plaque and tartar build-up can lead to more serious complications like gum disease, which can lead to tooth loss if not treated early. Therefore, regular cleanings can prevent gum disease from starting or getting worse.

Spot Problems Early

A dental cleaning and exam is an opportunity for your dentist to closely examine your mouth for potential issues like tooth decay or gum recession. Identifying and treating these issues early can help you avoid more complicated and expensive treatments in the future.

Support Your Overall Health

Taking care of your oral health by regularly visiting the dentist isn’t just beneficial for your teeth. Gum disease is linked to health conditions like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, respiratory conditions, and premature births. So, regular dental cleanings can be seen as an investment in your overall health.

Practice Good Oral Hygiene Between Cleanings

Seeing your dentist regularly is a healthy habit, but so is consistently brushing and flossing at home. Here are some tips to remember:

  • Brush twice a day, and make sure you brush before going to bed
  • Spend at least 2 minutes brushing
  • Brush with a toothpaste that contains fluoride
  • Remember that, if you don’t floss, you’re missing out on cleaning a third of your teeth’s surface
  • Replace your toothbrush if it looks worn, if it’s more than 3 months old, or if you’ve recently had a cold

Dental Cleanings & More in Peace River

We offer professional cleanings at Wing Dental Centre. Depending on the state of your oral health, you may visit for one of these types of appointments:

  • Preventive dental hygiene appointment: The goal of these appointments is prevention. Suitable for those with a healthy oral cavity, these appointments last about an hour.
  • Periodontal therapy appointment: These appointments are intended for people with gum disease, as we’ll work to remove plaque, tartar, and bacteria from below the gumline. These appointments last around an hour, but multiple may be necessary.
  • Laser therapy appointment: These appointments are for patients for whom laser dentistry may be beneficial. These appointments last about an hour, but multiple appointments may be required.

Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions, or contact us to book an appointment today.