Dental Cleanings
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK

Even with the most meticulous oral hygiene care at home, plaque and tartar can deposit around your tooth enamel causing cavities, gum disease, infections, and many other problems. Only a professional cleaning can remove these deposits. To ensure that your smile remains clean and healthy, make sure to have a professional dental cleaning done at least twice a year at Nicoma Park Dental in Oklahoma City.

About Dental Cleanings

Routine cleanings play an essential role in promoting your dental health. They are performed in a healthy mouth to prevent tooth decay and gum disease from developing. This will ensure you enjoy a healthy mouth and avoid having problems developing down the road.

Preventing Cavities and Gum Disease

When plaque is left sitting on your teeth and gum line, the bacteria it houses produces acid that slowly eats away at your tooth enamel, leading to tooth decay and the formation of cavities. Plaque and tartar are also the leading cause of gum disease (periodontal disease). The bacteria thriving in them causes inflammation of the gum tissue called gingivitis, which is characterized by the swelling, redness, and bleeding of gums. A professional dental cleaning along with proper oral hygiene practices at home can usually reverse this condition.

Gingivitis, left untreated, can advance to periodontitis. The gums begin pulling away from the teeth, leaving spaces called pockets which can become inflamed and infected, potentially leading to tooth loss. Dental cleanings are the best preventive measures to take to stop gum disease in its tracks, allowing you to enjoy healthy, confident smiles.

Protecting Your Body and Your Health

Studies have uncovered a connection between periodontal disease and serious health conditions including diabetes respiratory disease, stroke, heart disease, and more. Routine dental cleanings will lower your risk of developing gum disease, which protects your overall health and wellness. 

What Should You Expect?

Dental cleanings at our office are gentle and typically pain-free. If, however, you have sensitive gums or teeth, we can use a numbing medication for your comfort. We also offer sedation options for patients who are anxious or fearful of dental procedures. Our goal is to ensure that every time you visit our office, you are relaxed and comfortable.

Our dental hygienist will begin your dental cleaning by using an instrument called a scaler to remove the plaque and tartar buildup around your gum line and between your teeth. Next, we use a gritty paste to polish your teeth then floss to make sure no deposits are left between your teeth. We may recommend a fluoride treatment to help fight cavities. You will enjoy a clean mouth and a bright smile.

Dental Hygiene Practices at Home

In addition to your dental cleanings, you need to make sure you maintain proper dental hygiene practices at home. Brush your teeth at least twice daily, and floss and rinse with antibacterial mouthwash every day. This way you’ll help prevent plaque from building up and hardening into tartar, which can only be removed at a dentist’s office.