DENTAL CLEANINGS

Expert Preventative Care In Fairfax, VA

At Fair Lakes Family and Cosmetic Dentistry, we believe that dental cleanings are one of the best ways to care for your teeth. Even if you regularly brush and floss properly at home, there are hard-to-reach areas in the mouth that can develop plaque that cannot be brushed away by your toothbrush and mouthwash. We recommend seeing us for professional dental cleanings every six months.

dental cleanings

Benefits Of Dental Cleanings

Routine dental cleanings promote healthy teeth, gums and overall good oral health. There are many reasons you should visit your dentist for dental cleanings every six months, including:

  • Preventing gum disease and tooth decay

  • A reduced need for serious dental work

  • A lowered risk of serious health conditions such as oral cancer, heart disease, stroke, etc.

  • A beautiful, bright and healthy smile

  • Eliminates bad breath

Checking In On Your Dental Health

In addition to cleaning your teeth, dental cleanings also act as general check-ups for your dental health. They are opportunities for your dental hygienist and dentist to check for the development of any problems since your last visit, which if caught early, can prevent future dental procedures and lower the cost of care down the road. If you have any general questions about your dental health, now is the time to ask them. No question is too big or too small!

What To Expect At Your Cleaning

In addition to answering any questions you have, there is a thorough process for a dental cleaning. Our cleanings are efficient, with your precious time in mind–keeping them to just 30 minutes to an hour!

open mouth at dentist

A thorough dental cleaning at Fair Lakes Family and Cosmetic Dentistry includes:

Examining your teeth

We examine your teeth to get a read on your dental health. We check for cavities, gum disease, tooth decay and tooth cracks.

Our expert dental hygienist will clean your teeth with the goal of removing as much plaque and tartar buildup as possible to keep your teeth and gums healthy. Our hygienists will scale, polish, and perform periodontal charting.

Routine X-rays help our dentists get a better idea of what’s going on in your mouth. They may also be necessary to diagnose a potentially serious dental condition. We always have patient comfort in mind, and we use the most advanced and precise X-ray technology available.

Though more common in pediatric treatment, adults can receive fluoride too. Fluoride is a natural chemical shown to strengthen teeth. Fluoride treatments help prevent cavities and tooth decay.

This is a procedure that measures the space between the tooth and gum tissue around it. It is a vital part of routine dental cleaning. Gum inflammation can trigger bone and tooth loss. Since gum disease can go undetected in the early stages, periodontal charting is essential in detecting gum disease.

You may benefit from a debridement if you haven’t seen us for a dental cleaning in over a year or have excessive plaque or tartar buildup. The main reason we may perform a debridement is to clean up that plaque to prevent cavities or gum disease. It also allows us to determine if there are any underlying issues.

When To See Us More Often

Certain high-risk groups may need to visit us more often than every 6 months. We may recommend you visit us more often if you have gum disease, have dry mouth or are prone to cavities. We may also recommend more frequent visits if you have a certain chronic disease such as diabetes or an autoimmune disease. Talk to your dentist about how often you should receive a check-up and cleaning.