Dental prophylaxis is considered part of preventive dentistry
What is preventive dentistry?
Preventive dental care is key to maintaining healthy teeth throughout life. But it goes beyond that. Good oral health can also affect general health.
Preventive dentistry is care that helps maintain good oral health. It is a combination of regular dental check-ups along with developing good habits. Habits such as brushing, flossing, and performing dental prophylaxis in the office. Taking care of your teeth begins in childhood and extends throughout your life.
What is dental prophylaxis?
A dental prophylaxis is also called dental cleaning. It is one of the treatments included in preventive dentistry, the most common and simple that is performed daily in dental clinics. This technique is used to remove tartar. A substance that has become calcified due to the deposit of minerals in saliva on the upper part of the bacterial plaque.
The accumulation of tartar is the cause of various diseases such as tooth decay, gingivitis, or periodontal disease.
Once the cleaning is finished, a brush or rubber cup with a special paste is usually used to polish the entire surface of the tooth. This process helps avoid the easy recreation of dental plaque and subsequent tartar.
It is advisable to perform this technique routinely to all patients at least once a year in a systematic way. Accompanied by a complete review, or every 6 months in specific cases or with associated pathologies.
Treatment
This treatment allows us to sanitize the oral cavity in order to maintain better hygiene routines at home and allows us to rule out problems where tartar adheres and that without its removal would be difficult to detect.
As for the procedure itself, many people fear it. Between the pricks, the noises, and the occasional discomfort in the jaw, apprehension is easy to understand. But for the vast majority, cleaning teeth is simple and painless.
Knowing exactly what happens during the process can help relieve stress and allow you to better enjoy the results.
Steps of dental prophylaxis treatment
Dental cleanings can be performed by the dentist or dental hygienist.
- Before the actual cleaning process begins, the dentist or the hygienist carefully checks around the teeth and gums for signs of gingivitis (swollen gums) or other potential concerns.
- Later, the dentist or dental hygienist will remove plaque and tartar around the gum line, as well as between the teeth.
- Once the teeth are completely free of tartar, a high-power electric brush will be passed, which will help remove any stains and stains that remain and will polish and smooth the surface of the teeth.
