Teeth Cleaning
Learn what happens during a professional dental cleaning, how cleaning differs from periodontal treatment and how often visits may be recommended.
A professional dental cleaning removes plaque, calculus and surface stain from areas that are difficult to clean thoroughly at home. It is an important part of preventive care, but the type and frequency of cleaning should match the health of your gums rather than follow the same schedule for every patient.
Why is a professional cleaning different from brushing at home?
Brushing and cleaning between the teeth every day are the foundation of oral hygiene. Once plaque mineralizes into calculus, however, it cannot be removed with a toothbrush or floss alone. Dental instruments are used to remove these deposits while the gums and teeth are evaluated for signs of disease.
What happens during a routine cleaning?
For a patient with generally healthy gums, a preventive cleaning may include removal of plaque and calculus above and slightly below the gumline, polishing when appropriate and individualized home care recommendations. We also look for areas that may need more attention between visits.
Is a cleaning the same as a deep cleaning?
No. A routine preventive cleaning is different from scaling and root planing, which is used to treat certain cases of periodontitis. If there is gum attachment loss, deeper periodontal pockets or other evidence of periodontal disease, Dr. Sharma and the hygiene team will explain why a different type of therapy may be recommended.
Learn more about periodontal care.
How often should teeth be professionally cleaned?
The interval is individualized. Many healthy patients do well with preventive visits approximately every six months, while some patients benefit from shorter or longer intervals based on gum health, cavity risk, home care, medical factors and previous dental treatment. Patients with a history of periodontitis often need a periodontal maintenance schedule rather than routine prophylaxis.
What can a cleaning not do?
A cleaning does not repair cavities, reverse lost periodontal bone or substitute for a complete diagnosis. That is why preventive cleaning is usually paired with an appropriate dental examination at intervals based on your individual needs.
Teeth cleaning in Palo Alto
At Palo Alto Oral Health, our goal is to keep preventive care appropriate to your actual risk rather than automatically treating every patient the same way.
Request an appointment for preventive dental care.
