Dental CleaningsAn Overview
Dental cleanings help to keep your teeth and gums viable and healthy for a lifetime. It is a general dentistry service that everyone should have done. Patients of all ages should have their teeth cleaned at least once every six months. Routine dental cleanings can prevent tooth decay and keeps gum disease-causing bacteria in check.
Professional teeth cleanings are just as important for your oral health as daily brushing and flossing. During your routine dental cleanings, our hygienist may make personal recommendations on how to improve your at-home oral hygiene routine or recommend an antibacterial rinse to help keep your smile healthy if you have chronic gum disease.
Dr. Heather Adams’ dentist office provides patient-focused dentistry built around the needs and health of your smile. Our entire dental care team is committed to helping our patients enhance and maintain their best oral health through modern, high-quality dentistry. We offer age-appropriate hygiene advice for maintaining oral health between visits.
Does your bad breath hang on past that morning tooth brushing?
Bad breath upon waking is normal. In most cases, brushing and flossing in the morning will restore normal conditions, and resolve “morning breath”. However, bad breath that lingers or is unnoticed may indicate an underlying health issue.
A thorough dental cleaning can remove plaque build-up that can allow bacteria in your mouth to multiply and cause consistent bad breath. Regular preventive care visits can also help maintain optimal oral health and fresh breath!
Patients may also notice lingering bad breath if they have a virus or throat infection. For example, strep throat can often cause a distinct breath odor that will go away after treatment with antibiotics. Halitosis can also occur as a result of cigarette smoking, and certain medications that cause dry mouth, and mouth breathing.
There are situations when consistent bad breath can indicate an underlying general health problem. Gum disease, especially if it has been untreated for some time, can cause halitosis. Gum disease causes the decay of healthy gum tissue and the presence of high levels of bacteria in your mouth. Schedule a preventative dental care visit with Dr. Adams today.