Teeth Cleaning in Los Angeles

Dentist Los Angeles

New Image Dental
1608 Centinela Ave, Ste 7, Inglewood, CA 90302
(310)216-9600
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Even if you maintain good oral health by brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing daily, it is still important to visit a dentist in Los Angeles to get professional teeth cleaning. Professional teeth cleanings are more thorough than an electric toothbrush can be. Teeth whitening is a different dental procedure and you can request to have your teeth whitened after you have been examined and had teeth cleaned.

A dentist from New Image Dental in Los Angeles uses tools that remove invisible plaque and hard tartar from your teeth and gums.

Why are teeth cleaning appointments important?

Your teeth cleanings are also a time for your dentist to evaluate your oral health and for you to ask your dentist any questions you may have. Going to regular dental visits allows for the early detection of serious dental issues. Our office offers several affordable dental procedures.

Avoiding your annual teeth cleanings can lead to teeth or gum pain, bad breath, and possibly losing teeth. Keeping up with your teeth cleaning with regular visits to a dentist can prevent high costs of serious complications and remedies later.

Many common dental procedures can be avoided with proper routine care. Fillings, crowns, and root canals can be evaded with preventative practices in place.

Teeth cleanings are important because the plaque on your teeth is filled with bacteria that can cause cavities. Brushing your teeth twice a day removes some plaque, but because plaque is sticky, normal dental tools cannot reach all of it.

Plaque that is not removed can harden into a brown crust called tartar. Tartar cannot be removed with simple brushing and flossing. A dentist has special tools used during a cleaning that can chip away tartar without harming your teeth.

Letting plaque and tartar stay on your teeth for too long can irritate your gums and lead to gum infection. This infection can spread to other parts of your body and cause other issues such as blood clots, lung issues, cancer, and heart disease. Additionally, gum disease is associated with Alzheimer’s Disease, gut health, and many other issues.

What are the types of Teeth Cleaning?

Depending on the amount of plaque or tartar on your teeth, a dentist will perform one of the four types of teeth cleanings.

Prophylaxis Dental Cleaning

This type of dental cleaning is used to clean healthy teeth to prevent them from tooth decay or gum disease. Prophylaxis cleaning will remove tartar and plaque from all sides of your teeth using a dental scalar and water. This cleaning can help remove any unwanted plaque and minor stains on the surface of the teeth. Most patients will get this type of cleaning.

Periodontal Maintenance Cleaning

This is a dental cleaning used to treat gum disease. It removes tartar and plaque from the surface of the tooth and gum pockets and smooths out the roots. This is a more common cleaning for gum disease and takes several dental appointments or until the concerns are properly dealt with.

Scaling and Root Planing Cleaning

This is a deep cleaning used to treat gingivitis and periodontitis and is similar to periodontal maintenance cleaning. Scaling removes tartar and plaque from the surface of the tooth and gum pockets and helps reduce glum inflammation. Root planning involves smoothing the tooth roots which will help the gums reattach to the teeth. This type of cleaning may take multiple dental visits to complete.

Gross Debridement Cleaning

This is the most heavy-duty teeth cleaning. It is mainly performed on patients who struggle with their oral care or have avoided the dentist for a very long time and have more plaque built up than the average patient. An electric tool is used to loosen the tartar and then a prophylaxis cleaning is performed to additionally clean the teeth.

How Long Does a Teeth Cleaning Take?

A teeth cleaning takes between 30 minutes and one hour depending on the state of your oral health. Throughout this process you will be lying back in a comfortable dental chair.

Professional teeth cleanings don’t hurt. All patients feel are vibrations and a little bit of pressure. Your dentist and hygienist are there to help you not to have pain you and you can talk to them if you have dental anxiety so that they can make you feel more at ease.

First, your hygienist will perform a thorough examination of your mouth and ask about your health, social, and dental history. They will check for tooth sensitivity, gum erosion, tooth grinding, and oral cancer. They will use a small mirror to examine the inside of your mouth to make sure there are no obvious issues with your teeth and gums.

Next, the cleaning process will begin. The hygienist will use a scaler to remove plaque from the surface of your teeth. The instruments used will remove the deposits on your teeth without harming them. You’ll hear scraping but this is normal.

The more tartar there is on your teeth, the longer it will take to scrape a particular spot. A constant stream of liquid fluoride is also used to cool the instruments on your teeth and wash away any debris.

The hygienist will then polish your teeth with a fluoride treatment and a special high-powered toothbrush to make your teeth smooth and shiny and protect them from cavities. A hygienist will let you pick the flavor of the tooth polish. After, they will floss to remove any plaque between your teeth to remove any plaque leftover. The last step is to rinse your mouth and suction to remove any lingering tooth polish.

After the cleaning your dentist will come in for a final checkup. If they don’t detect any issues, then your visit is over. This is also the time when you can ask your dentist any questions you may have.

A dentist may also take x-rays to make sure you don’t have cavities or other issues with your teeth. Your dentist will also take a good look at your teeth and look for sensitivity, gum erosion, and other issues.

If your dentist notices any issues, they will make recommendations for treatment. After you’re all done your dentist will ask you to set up your next dental appointment, so you are on track to keep that healthy smile.

Dental Checkups in Los Angeles

Dental cleanings and checkups are necessary to keep your teeth and gums healthy. Despite your oral care practices at home, dental tools are more efficient in cleaning plaque and tartar. Visiting a dentist as often as recommended is essential to keeping your smile perfect and maintaining oral health.