Achieving and maintaining dental health is an ongoing pursuit for all patients. We all know that it’s vitally important for patients to stay diligent with daily brushing and flossing. Additionally some patients choose to supplement their dental regimens with mouthwashes or teeth whitening products. These at-home measures are certainly important, but it is important to understand that they do not replace professional dental cleanings. Rather, at-home oral hygiene must be combined with professional care in order to achieve and maintain optimal oral health.
The goal of dental care is to minimize harmful oral bacteria, to prevent infections and dental decay. During the day plaque accumulate on your teeth and gum tissue. Plaque is a sticky bacterial film that coats your mouth during the day—it is generated by simple acts like eating and drinking. Brushing and flossing clean plaque off of teeth. However, some plaque inevitably remains between teeth or in hard to reach places. This plaque hardens on to dental enamel—calcified plaque is called tartar or calculus. You cannot brush tartar away; it must be removed by a professional dental cleaning.
This is why it’s so important to maintain a combination of at-home and professional oral care. Your daily oral hygiene routine helps to minimize plaque and calculus accumulation. Then semi-annual professional cleanings eliminate tartar/calculus build-up, thus giving you a clean mouth to maintain until your next regular dental cleaning. Without these two components working together it is impossible to control both plaque and calculus accumulation.
Professional dental cleanings also allow your dental professional to screen you for oral cancer and other serious infections. If you have a cavity or infection, your dentist will be able to treat it before it becomes serious as long as it is caught early in a dental cleaning. Our Westfield general dentists are also able to access your gum health, and proactively treat gum disease before you’re at risk of losing teeth, gum tissue, or bone density.
Exemplary at-home oral hygiene is a crucial part of maintaining oral health, but it alone cannot keep your smile health for years to come. By partnering with a dental professional you can greatly decrease your risk of dental cavities, gum disease, and tooth loss. Give our Westfield general dentists a call if you have any questions or if you’d like to schedule and appointment. As always we can be reached at (908) 543-3215, and we’re here to help!