We all know we should clean our teeth at least twice a day to help ensure that our teeth and gums remain strong and healthy.  But if you asked people how often they should be getting their teeth cleaned by a dental health professional, then you would most likely get some wildly varied answers.  The simply fact is, that like everything in life, your individual need will be different to everyone else’s, as a lot of different factors affect your dental health.  However, as a general rule, it is advised that you visit your dentist for a professional cleaning of your teeth at least twice a year, and understanding the basic way plaque forms on your teeth will help you see why.

Plaque is a creeping presence

No matter how well you clean your teeth at home, when it comes to tackling plaque buildup you are merely plugging gaps in a leaky damn.  By brushing and using domestic dental hygiene products you are performing important basic maintenance on your teeth and gums; removing all of the loose contaminants of the day and clearing away problems before they can develop such as sugar and other corrosive substances that normally taste really good.  This does a lot to protect your teeth, but when it comes to plaque, this is only providing a minor delay.

When you have your teeth professionally cleaned, advanced tools are used to forcibly remove the plaque buildup from your teeth.  It is quite an aggressive attack which is why you are left with a strange ‘clean’ feeling on your teeth afterwards, and also why a few people experience minor discomfort for a few hours.  This process removes plaque amazingly well, but plaque is persistent and the bacteria that cause it will regroup and start to recolonise your teeth within 48 hours or so of your treatment.  This is perfectly normal, but after six months or so the plaque will have begun to calcify to your teeth and a professional cleaning will be needed to remove it again.  As with most things, the longer you leave it, the worse it will get.

Other benefits

Aside from the obvious benefit of keeping plaque out of your mouth and the protection this offers your teeth and gums, having a bi-annual checkup means that you have a professional inspecting your teeth regularly.  As such any problems that might be starting to develop should be identified early and this means that treatment can be far more preventative and reactionary.  Our team of professionals are here to help you, and this means that if you visit our dentist clinic, then you are receiving the best care and treatment out there.

People can underestimate the importance of their dental health; brushing is essential, but it is only part of the equation.  You need to visit us or your dentist at least twice a year for a in depth cleaning of your teeth to ensure that the plaque isn’t building up too much, and having a professional check you over is never a bad thing either.