Professional teeth cleaning

Professional cleaning of teeth is a dental procedure, the essence of which is the removal of dental deposits, in particular tartar, and also in the removal of a different kind of plaque on the teeth.

By its nature, tartar is formed from plaque in hard-to-reach places, which can not be cleaned with a toothbrush at home. The basis of the stone are bacteria, food residues, salts of phosphorus, iron and calcium. Over time, the teeth begin to appear dark spots, which clearly indicate the need to visit the dentist. Professional cleaning is a very important procedure, because with its help it is possible to prevent the appearance of caries, to give the teeth a healthy appearance and natural smoothness. Do not confuse cleaning with teeth whitening, as these are two different procedures that are relatively directed at different results.

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Types of professional teeth cleaning

In the dental practice now there are several types of professional teeth cleaning, the main among them is ultrasound scaling, laser cleaning, air flow cleaning and also manual cleaning or simply speaking - hygienic cleaning. Each of these methods has its advantages and disadvantages, as well as all of the above methods are designed to eliminate certain problems depending on the severity level. In brief about each of the types of cleansing, we can say the following: 

• Cleaning with an ultrasound scaler is also able to improve the condition of the gums and stop bleeding, in addition to removing the tartar. This cleaning has a number of contraindications. 
• Laser cleaning has the property of destroying pathogenic bacteria and contributing to the healing of various kinds of ulcers on the gums and in the oral cavity. 
• The air flow machine should be cleaned using a jet of air and with additional use of abrasive. This cleaning has some contraindications. 
• Hygienic cleaning is a method of removing plaque with the help of special dental hooks and brushes. The method is very gentle and does not directly target the removal of tartar. To date, it is not popular, due to the presence of other, more effective ways of cleaning.

The result of the above information is that professional cleaning of teeth has several varieties and therefore you can choose only the method of cleaning that will suit you, only your dentist.

Professional cleaning of teeth air flow

Professional cleaning of teeth «air flow» is carried out with the help of a special device, which means cleaning teeth with the use of a powerful jet of air. Under high pressure, a jet of air destroys plaque, tartar, as well as traces of smoking and food dyes. Therefore, very often after this procedure, the teeth become slightly lighter, but one should not expect the teeth to show a noticeable whiteness - the doctor removes only the plaque on the teeth and the enamel acquires its normal natural shade. For best effect during the procedure, water and abrasive are used, as an abrasive, soda is taken, which, as is known, does not harm the enamel. The advantage of the procedure is that it is faster in comparison with other cleaning methods, and also has a longer lasting effect.

One of the types of "air flow" is the "perio-flow" method, which is aimed at removing the calculus located under the gums. In the course of this procedure, soda is replaced with an even milder powder based on glycine. Contraindication to the application of the procedure "perio-flow" is gum disease, since the procedure can lead to their more severe inflammation.

Professional cleaning of teeth by ultrasound

Another kind of professional cleaning of teeth is ultrasound cleaning. It is carried out with the help of a special apparatus, which produces undulating oscillations and directs them to the tip of an ultrasonic scaler (hook). Under the influence of ultrasound tartar begins to crumble and fall off the tooth enamel. But along with the removal of the stone, ultrasound causes some kind of vibration that can heat the tooth and thereby cause significant discomfort, so to avoid this, the water head is used in parallel. Due to this, the microfragments of the plaque are removed and, in turn, the tooth cools. Some of the more functional and improved ultrasonic cleaning machines can remove even the plaque that is under the gum and thereby improve the health of the gums. Professional ultrasound cleaning for normal healthy teeth is tolerated calmly and painlessly, but if the patient has dental and gum disease and also their sensitivity, then the procedure is contraindicated, since it can cause severe pain and exacerbation of diseases.

Professional teeth cleaning with laser

Professional cleaning of teeth with a laser has an action mechanism, which is directly related to the difference in the amount of water in the tooth enamel and in the tartar. In any case, the amount of moisture in the tartar is much higher than in the enamel, so the laser beam contributes to the instant "explosive effervescence" of moisture in the tartar, followed by the crushing of the stone. Along with the removal of plaque and stone, the laser beam has a bactericidal effect on teeth, gums and the entire oral cavity as a whole and thereby removes pathogenic bacteria. After laser cleaning, the enamel of the tooth becomes more permeable for medicinal preparations and, accordingly, the tooth enamel is strengthened. After the procedure, a different kind of plaque is removed, even one that is in hard-to-reach places and also the color of the enamel can become 1-2 light shades. But do not confuse the laser cleaning with laser whitening.

Professional hygienic cleaning of teeth

Despite the fact that in the modern world there is a huge mass of means and methods for hygienic cleaning of teeth at home, but it is still ideal to clean teeth from plaque 100%. At home with the help of a toothbrush, we are able to remove only 60% of the plaque, and the remaining 40% of the plaque are in hard-to-reach places such as subgingival space and interdental spaces. These 40% of the plaque is completely enough to provoke caries and inflammation of the gums and also this plaque eventually lends itself to the process of mineralization and turns into tartar. Perform hygienic cleaning with special dental hooks and brushes. The procedure as a whole can prevent the appearance of caries and ensure natural smoothness and whiteness of the teeth. Hygienic cleaning is carried out 2-3 times a year and has no special contraindications.

Recommendations after professional cleaning of teeth

Very often, after professional cleaning of teeth, there may be an increase in tooth sensitivity and bleeding gums. These are temporary phenomena that should not cause you any alertness. If necessary, with a preventive purpose, you can apply gel "Metrogil denta", which is an antimicrobial and antiseptic agent for topical application. The gel is applied over a period of 2 times a day after brushing your teeth. You can also rinse your mouth with a 0.2% solution of chlorhexine or Givalex. But it is very important to take into account the fact that you can not rinse your mouth with alcohol-containing solutions in the first week after professional cleaning. Also in the first week, dentists recommend using soft toothbrushes and then gradually shifting to medium-hard brushes. It is also recommended to use dental floss daily. If you use an irrigator, then it should be used from the lowest power.

What can not be done after professional teeth cleaning?

After professional cleaning has been done, because of the sensitivity of teeth, dentists strongly do not recommend smoking, eating foods that contain natural or artificial colors - coffee, black and green tea, red wine, carrots, beets, currants, blueberries, mulberries and other similar products. Also, do not drink beverages that can increase the sensitivity of teeth - such as juices, carbonated drinks, apples, lemons and other products containing acid. It is also not recommended to use a hard toothbrush and rinse your mouth with alcohol-containing rinses.

Contraindications to professional cleaning of teeth

Proceeding from the fact that professional cleaning of teeth has a lot of positive effects, it is worth noting that it also has some contraindications to its use. And most often these contraindications are not common for all, but are associated with the individual characteristics of the teeth and gums. Among them: 

• The increased sensitivity of tooth enamel and gums, in this case the procedure promises to be very painful. 
• Previously acquired and not cured diseases of the oral cavity such as periodontitis, gingivitis, periodontitis. 
• Children and adolescence. 
• Viral and infectious diseases like bronchitis, tonsillitis, SARS. 
• Allergic reactions to medications that are used during the procedure. 
• Presence of artificial teeth on implants. 
• Arrhythmia (rapid heart rate). 
• Infections to type of a HIV, a tuberculosis, a hepatitis. 
• Presence of multiple caries.

Therefore, before deciding to conduct a cleaning, it is worth informing the dentist about the presence of certain diseases in the body, even if they are not directly related to dentistry.

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Is professional tooth cleaning harmful?

To date, there is a lot of disagreement over whether the professional cleaning of teeth is harmful. Here it will be very useful to mention the proverb "The difference between benefit and harm determines the measure", as the cleaning of teeth should be done no more than once in six months. Only then it will not bear any potential harm to the health of the teeth. Exceptions are only those cases where a person has crowns, dentures, bridges. In such cases, bacterial plaque and tartar is formed faster and therefore professional cleaning should be done every 3-4 months. In itself this procedure is useful and can not bring harm, except that the individual features of the teeth may be an exception. The essence of the procedure is to remove plaque and calculus, which are actually the main causes of caries, while the enamel is not damaged. First, the stone is removed by special tools manually, or by means of ultrasound equipment. Then remove plaque with the help of special brushes and a special toothpaste. Then the teeth are covered with fluoride varnish in order to strengthen the enamel. The result of the procedure is healthy teeth without plaque and tartar, as well as the absence of any odor from the mouth, so the benefits of this procedure is obvious, and no potential damage to professional teeth cleaning.

Professional cleaning of teeth during pregnancy

During pregnancy, professional cleaning is not a contraindication, but on the contrary - the recommended procedure. The reason for this is the changes in the body during pregnancy, and in particular the change in the state of the teeth. Teeth during pregnancy very often become weaker and more vulnerable to various kinds of bacteria, so their professional cleaning is a preventive measure for the formation of tartar, plaque and bacteria. Cleaning during pregnancy is safe and does not affect the overall health of the mother and child. Also, during the procedure, no medications are used.

Price of professional teeth cleaning

The price range of professional teeth cleaning is different and depends on the specialist and the clinic. The average prices for various types of professional cleaning are as follows:

• Ultrasonic cleaning - 200-300 UAH. 
• Cleaning by the device «air flow» - 400-600 UAH. 
• Laser cleaning - 250-300 UAH. 
• Hygienic cleaning - 200-300 UAH.

Reviews about professional teeth cleaning

Professional dental cleaning today is very popular among the population, and therefore the majority of reviews about it are positive. The majority responds that after cleaning teeth in the oral cavity appears a constant sensation of freshness, teeth become very smooth and acquire natural whiteness. The only unpleasant moment can be unless only a temporary increase in sensitivity.

Professional dental cleaning is a very useful and necessary procedure. With its help, you can completely remove tartar and dental plaque and thereby make the teeth more healthy. It is conducted once in six months, and if necessary, and the presence of dental indications - then more often. Professional cleaning can prevent gum disease, tooth decay and other dental diseases. The procedure does not destroy tooth enamel, it is not painful and does not bear any negative consequences.