Dental Cleaning and Hygiene (Oral Prophylaxis)

A dental prophylaxis is often referred to as a dental (teeth) cleaning. It is performed to thoroughly clean your teeth. Prophylaxis is important for maintenance of your dental health. It halts the progression of gingivitis to more destructive periodontal (gum) disease.

Some of the benefits of prophylaxis include:

• Plaque and calculus removal – Plaque and calculus (tartar) buildup, both above and below the gum line, can cause serious periodontal problems if left untreated. Even using the best brushing and flossing homecare techniques, it can be impossible to remove all traces of plaque and calculus. Professional dental hygiene equipment, tools, and techniques allows a qualified Registered Dental Hygienist, to see and treat these problems.
• Esthetics – It’s hard to feel confident about a smile with stained teeth. Prophylaxis can rid the teeth of unsightly stains and polish your smile.
• Fresher breath – Active gingivitis and periodontal disease is often signified by persistent bad breath (halitosis). Bad breath is generally caused by a combination of rotting food particles below the gum line, possible gangrene stemming from gum infection, and periodontal bacteria by-products. The removal of plaque, calculus, and bacteria noticeably improves breath and alleviates inflammation.

Prophylaxis is generally performed in several stages:

• Supragingival cleaning – The dentist will thoroughly clean the area above the gum line with scaling tools to rid them of plaque and calculus.
• Subgingival cleaning – This is the most important step for patients with periodontal disease because the dentist is able to remove calculus from the gum pockets and beneath the gum line.
• Root planing – This is the smoothing of the tooth root by the dentist to eliminate any remaining bacteria. These bacteria are extremely dangerous to periodontitis sufferers, so eliminating them is one of the top priorities of the dentist.
• Medication – Following scaling and root planing, an antibiotic or antimicrobial cream is often placed in the gum pockets. These creams promote fast and healthy healing in the pockets and help ease discomfort.
• X-ray and examination – Routine X-rays can be extremely revealing when it comes to periodontal disease. X-rays show the extent of bone and gum recession, and also aid the dentist in identifying areas which may need future attention.

Prophylaxis is recommended twice annually as a preventative measure, but should be performed every 3-4 months on periodontitis sufferers. Though gum disease cannot be completely reversed, prophylaxis is one of the tools the dentist can use to effectively halt its destructive progress.