The Importance of Professional Teeth Cleanings Every Six Months

Teeth cleanings: You might see them as just one more thing to add to your never-shrinking to-do list, but we see them as your oral health’s first line of defense. 

Dr. Mehrnoosh Darj and our Affordable Dental Associates team know that life doesn’t always create space for self-care. However, you only get one set of teeth, and this blog covers how important regular professional teeth cleanings are to keep those teeth as healthy as possible. 

You can’t get it all on your own

It doesn’t matter how diligent you are with your brush and floss; no one can get all the plaque and tartar off their teeth. 

Plaque and tartar (the hardened version of plaque) are harmful deposits that sit on the surface of your teeth and allow bacteria to fester. Over time, plaque and tartar accumulate, creating cavities and eventually gum disease.

Your regular oral hygiene routine might be able to get some or even most of the plaque and tartar, but they can also hide in places your brush and floss can’t reach. It takes our tools and keen eye to get all the crud off your teeth and keep cavities and gum disease at bay. 

You brush up on best practices

You might think you know all about oral hygiene, but there’s always something to learn. For instance, did you know that there’s a recommended amount of time you should spend brushing your teeth? There is, and many people are getting it wrong. Around 17% of Americans only brush for one minute, and 13% are brushing for a whopping four minutes plus, which can actually harm your teeth. 

We prefer you brush your teeth for a solid two minutes. That’s plenty of time to thoroughly clean your teeth without damaging the enamel. 

Your Affordable Dental Associates specialists have even more oral hygiene hacks to share with you at your cleaning. 

We get a closer look

We often perform X-rays at your cleaning appointments. X-rays are among our most powerful tools for detecting gum disease, periodontal disease, cavities, and other conditions. We can also spot wisdom teeth movement, mouth or jaw abnormalities, cysts, and cancers.

Your teeth won’t fall out

Teeth cleanings won’t keep your teeth from getting knocked out, but we can keep them from falling out. 

Periodontal disease, cavities, and other oral health problems damage the structure of teeth and can cause such severe decay that they fall out. Certain underlying health conditions, like autoimmune conditions and diabetes, can increase your chances of tooth loss-causing oral health problems, which makes regular checkups with us even more important. 

We’re on your team

Is your tooth bothering you? Are you concerned about a gap? Not sure your teeth and gums are as healthy as they should be? These are all questions we can answer at your cleaning. We never make you feel embarrassed or ashamed because of the state of your teeth. Instead, we work with you to restore your oral health and ensure you have everything you need to continue caring for them. 

It doesn’t matter if you haven't been to the dentist in years or want to change your care; we’d love to get you on our calendar for teeth cleaning. Call or click to schedule an appointment at the Affordable Dental Associates office nearest you. We’re located in El Paso and Socorro, Texas.