PREVENTIVE CARE
Professional Teeth Cleaning
Keep Your Teeth Clean and Healthy
Professional teeth cleaning is one of the most important things you can do for your oral health. Even with excellent brushing and flossing at home, plaque and tartar accumulate in areas your toothbrush cannot reach. Left untreated, that buildup leads to cavities, gum disease, and eventual tooth loss.
At Glendale Dental Wellness, our hygiene team uses advanced instruments to gently and thoroughly remove harmful deposits, leaving your teeth feeling smooth, fresh, and protected. Combined with regular checkups and exams, professional cleanings are the foundation of a lifetime of healthy smiles.
Why Professional Cleaning Matters
Plaque forms on your teeth within hours of brushing. When plaque hardens into tartar, no amount of brushing or flossing can remove it. Only professional instruments can safely eliminate tartar without damaging your enamel.
Regular professional cleanings do more than keep your teeth looking good. They prevent gum disease, reduce your risk of cavities, eliminate bacteria that cause bad breath, and give our team the opportunity to catch problems early, before they become painful or expensive to treat. Patients who maintain a consistent cleaning schedule experience significantly fewer dental emergencies and need less restorative work over their lifetime.
What Happens During Your Cleaning
A professional cleaning involves several steps, each designed to remove buildup, protect your enamel, and set you up for healthier teeth between visits.
Scaling
Using ultrasonic and hand instruments, our hygienist removes plaque and tartar from above and below the gum line. The ultrasonic scaler vibrates to loosen hardened deposits without damaging your enamel.
Polishing
After scaling, a rotating rubber cup with a slightly gritty paste polishes every tooth surface. This removes surface stains and creates a smooth finish that makes it harder for plaque to stick.
Professional Flossing
Our hygienist flosses between every tooth to remove any remaining debris and check for areas of bleeding or tightness that may indicate early gum disease.
Fluoride Treatment
A concentrated fluoride application strengthens your enamel and creates a protective barrier against acid and bacteria. This extra shield helps prevent cavities until your next visit.
Oral Assessment
During your cleaning, the hygienist evaluates your gum health, checks for signs of decay, and measures periodontal pocket depths. This information guides your exam with Dr. Chan.
Hygiene Education
We review your brushing and flossing technique, recommend products that fit your needs, and answer questions about your home care routine so you can maintain results between visits.
Maintaining Your Clean Between Visits
What you do at home between professional cleanings determines how healthy your teeth and gums stay. Follow these habits to maximize the benefits of every visit.
Hold your soft-bristled brush at a 45-degree angle to the gum line and use gentle, circular strokes. Brush for a full two minutes, covering every surface of every tooth. Replace your brush every three months.
Slide the floss gently between each tooth, curving it into a C-shape against one side, then the other. Flossing removes plaque from the 35% of tooth surfaces your brush cannot reach.
Bacteria feed on sugar and produce acid that erodes enamel. Drink water after meals, avoid sipping sugary drinks throughout the day, and choose crunchy vegetables as snacks when possible.
A fluoride or antimicrobial mouthwash reduces bacteria, freshens breath, and provides an extra layer of protection. Rinse for 30 seconds after brushing and flossing.
Water washes away food particles and bacteria, stimulates saliva production, and keeps your mouth from becoming dry. Dry mouth accelerates plaque buildup and increases cavity risk.
Skipping appointments allows tartar to accumulate and gum disease to progress silently. Patients who maintain their schedule with regular maintenance experience fewer problems long-term.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often do I need teeth cleaning?
Most people benefit from professional cleanings every six months. Patients with gum disease or other risk factors may need cleanings every three or four months for optimal oral health.
What's the difference between plaque and tartar?
Plaque is a sticky film of bacteria that forms on your teeth daily. You can remove it by brushing and flossing. Tartar (calculus) forms when plaque hardens and can only be removed by professional cleaning.
Does teeth cleaning hurt?
Teeth cleaning is typically painless for patients with healthy gums. Patients with sensitive teeth or gum disease may experience mild discomfort, which we can minimize with proper technique and tools.
Will cleaning remove stains?
Professional cleaning removes surface stains caused by plaque, tartar, and dietary factors. For deeper discoloration, teeth whitening treatments are more effective.
Can I prevent tartar buildup?
While you can't completely prevent tartar, good oral hygiene (brushing twice daily and flossing) slows buildup. Regular professional cleanings remove tartar before it damages your gums.
Is a deep cleaning the same as a regular cleaning?
No. A regular prophylaxis cleaning removes plaque and tartar above and slightly below the gum line. A deep cleaning (scaling and root planing) reaches further below the gum line and smooths root surfaces to treat gum disease. Dr. Chan will recommend the right type based on your gum health.
