The Importance of Biannual Dental Cleanings

Dental cleanings are an integral part of any oral health preventative plan. They have a far larger role than simply cleaning the teeth. That said, some people still find reasons to avoid them, often only contacting the dentist when an issue arises. However, by gaining enough information on dental cleanings, we hope more patients see their value, as they are only for their benefit.

Types of dental cleanings

A lesser-known fact about dental cleanings is that there are two a general dentist can perform. The most common cleanings patients think of when attending biannual visits are traditional or standard. Traditional dental cleanings involve a dental hygienist removing plaque and tartar above the gum line. Medline Plus, and often many dental professionals, characterize plaque as an easily removable, sticky film of bacteria that coats the teeth. While it develops quickly, proper oral hygiene practices keep it from hardening into tartar—calcified plaque.

The traditional dental cleaning process is typically painless unless the patient has an issue the dentist needs to address, such as an exposed dental pulp—the innermost layer of the tooth that houses the nerves and connective tissue. In that case, the dental hygienist or dentist will take great care when moving over the area and may even apply a numbing agent to prevent discomfort.

The second dental cleaning type is scaling and root planing or deep cleaning. Patients will not receive this type of professional cleaning twice a year, nor should they need it even once a year. Dentists recommend them on an as-needed basis. They involve scraping plaque and tartar from below the gumline, which involves lifting the fleshy tissue. Lifting the gums provides unobscured access to the tooth roots for effective cleaning. Considering this procedure is minimally invasive, the dentist will employ a numbing agent or anesthetic at the top of the appointment.

Determining when dental cleanings are necessary

General dentists follow the American Dental Association's (ADA) recommendation for offering traditional dental cleanings every six months. This is because traditional dental cleanings are part of a preventative tool known simply as dental checkups. Checkups are necessary to create a baseline for a patient's oral health, allowing the dentist to provide early detection and intervention for abnormalities.

Typically, dentists determine the need for a deep cleaning during one of the biannual appointments. However, they can also recommend their need if a patient schedules an appointment outside of preordained times due to experiencing abnormal symptoms such as bleeding, sore gums, pain, or general sensitivity. Deep cleanings are a common service dentists use to address gum disease's early to advanced stages: gingivitis and periodontitis, respectively. They may also prescribe an antibiotic along with the procedure to completely rid the body of the infection.