Seek preventive care with a dental hygienist in Calgary, AB

Good oral hygiene keeps your smile bright, but it’s also crucial for your overall health. No matter how well you brush and floss your teeth, there’s always the risk of developing tooth decay or gum disease. Professional cleanings with a dental hygienist can disrupt plaque and remove tartar that’s hardened to your teeth. At Calgary Dental Centers, we provide patients in the Calgary, AB area professional cleanings with a dental hygienist.

Some people are more susceptible to cavities than others. Whether it is genetics, health issues or medications that increase the risk of oral health problems, or something as simple as bad habits, many factors can affect your teeth. Most people should see the dentist twice a year, but patients with a higher risk of cavities should go in for cleanings every three to four months.

Deep cleansing to freshen your breath and lighten your teeth

Bacteria live in your mouth and feed off of sugars and starches that get stuck in your teeth. If bits of food hang around in your mouth too long, the bacteria can feast non-stop, reproducing all the while. They form a sticky biofilm called plaque that helps them adhere to teeth and prevents saliva from washing them away. Eventually, the plaque forms into tartar, which can’t be removed by brushing or flossing.

Dental hygienists are trained to gently remove tartar from your teeth using ultrasonic scaling. They can access hard to reach spots around your gum line and between your teeth using specialized tools. Next, they will polish your teeth to remove staining from your enamel and to smooth out the surfaces of your teeth.

Finally, the hygienist will give you a fluoride treatment to kill any remaining bacteria in your mouth. Of course, because your mouth is an attractive habitat for these pathogenic bacteria, they will be back. A professional cleaning simply allows you to start from scratch so you’re brushing and flossing routine can continue to prevent cavities and gum disease.

Screening your oral health

If you have frequent bad breath or sour tastes in your mouth, it can be a sign of infection in your mouth. An oral hygienist will check your teeth and gums for signs of tooth decay and gum disease, and they will take images of your mouth using X-rays. Dr. Asaria will check the images for signs of root problems, jawbone loss, and cavities, and talk with you about problems that may develop down the road.

If he does catch an issue on your X-ray, he’ll work with you to form a treatment plan to preserve your teeth and keep your smile healthy and happy. The sooner you catch issues in your mouth, the more convenient and cost-effective it will be to treat them. However, if you put off getting your teeth cleaned, you risk infection, tooth loss, and irreversible damage to your gum tissues. Call our dental hygiene center today on (403) 768-1339 for a professional cleaning from an experienced dental hygienist.