Dental Cleanings
Achieving & Maintaining Healthy, Beautiful Smiles
A dental cleaning every six months can improve your dental health to help you enjoy strong, healthy teeth for a lifetime of beautiful smiles. Are you wondering what happens during your six month dental cleanings in Creve Coeur, MO with your trusted family dentist? Let’s take a closer look at the inner workings of every good preventive dental hygiene appointment.
Healthy Smiles Require Preventive Dental Care
The best way to deal with a problem is to keep it from occurring in the first place -- and that’s exactly the aim of your six month dental hygiene cleaning. During this appointment, an experienced dental hygienist will remove the plaque and tartar buildup that causes gum disease and cavities. We can also provide patient education as needed, along with special preventive services for children, like dental sealants and fluoride treatments.
Plaque and Tartar
While the two substances are often confused for each other, plaque and tartar are different. Plaque is the sticky matter you can scratch off the surface of your teeth with your fingernail -- it’s constantly forming on tooth enamel throughout the day. And when plaque isn’t thoroughly removed by brushing and flossing, it quickly turns into tartar. In fact, tartar can form in as little as 24 hours or just one day of inattentive dental hygiene. Once tartar has developed, it can only be removed by a professional. To keep the surface of your teeth clean and protected against gum disease and cavities, stay on top of your hygiene appointments -- we’ll remove both substances for a brighter smile.
Patient Education
We’re paying attention to problem areas in your mouth as we clean, and we can provide important patient education to help you maintain better habits at home, too. It’s likely been a while since you learned how to brush, floss, and care for your teeth, after all -- and everyone needs a little brush up on good oral hygiene from time to time.
Dental Sealants & Fluoride Treatments
Young smiles are especially at-risk of cavities, as their teeth (and their brushing and flossing habits) are still developing. Fortunately, dentists are armed with an extra defense against cavities and gum disease in children: dental sealants and fluoride treatments.
Dental sealants are plastic coverings painted directly onto the back teeth. Once dry, this layer provides a protective shield against the bacteria, food particles, and plaque that cause cavities. And for every tooth in the mouth, a quick fluoride treatment at the end of each hygiene appointment strengthens enamel to fight back against cavity-causing substances.
Don't Forget Your Dental Checkup, Too
Your hygiene treatment usually takes place alongside your six month preventive checkup, when your dentist will look for the small signs of larger problems, like cavities, infected gums, worn dental work, and even oral cancer. We’ll take digital x-rays to get a thorough look at your oral structures, and also use special probing instruments to assess the health of your gums. If issues exist, your dentist is prepared with restorative services -- like tooth-colored fillings, root canals, bridges, gum disease treatment, and more -- to get your smile back to its original health.
Has It Been Six Months Since Your Last Appointment?
If you’re in need of a dental cleaning, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Feigenbaum Dental. Your Creve Coeur family dental team is waiting to provide you with excellence in preventive, general, restorative, and cosmetic dentistry! Request your appointment today.