There's no hard and fast evidence, but dentists generally recommended having your teeth cleaned professionally at least twice yearly.

Professional teeth cleanings help eliminate the plaque and tartar that forms on your teeth over time despite your daily brushing and flossing routine. If not removed, plaque and tartar will cause oral health problems and tint your smile.

Before booking your professional dental cleaning appointment, you should know what to expect during the visit. Here's what typically happens during a professional dental cleaning.

Dental exam

Before cleaning your teeth, your dentist will need to establish that the cleaning is safe for you. Aside from checking your dental and medical records, they will examine your teeth and gums using simple dental tools like angled mirrors and metal probes. 

If you have serious oral health concerns that require a more thorough investigation, they may take dental x-rays to help accurately find and determine the extent of the problem.

Plaque and tartar removal

Once your dentist confirms that it's safe to clean your teeth, they'll start scraping off the plaque and tartar using gritty toothpaste and various tools, such as scalers, powerful electric brushes and ultrasonic cleaners.

The harder the buildup, the more powerful the tools used should be to ensure a quality clean.

Teeth polishing

After breaking up all the plaque and tartar, your dentist will polish your teeth with a gritty paste. 

Teeth polishing makes your teeth whiter and brighter, but it also minimises plaque buildup before the next scheduled cleaning. If you still feel you could use a brighter smile after getting your teeth polished, you may opt for a whitening treatment.

Dental flossing

Since teeth polishing can get a bit messy, your dentist will rinse and floss your teeth to get rid of any paste left behind from the polishing. Flossing your teeth makes them super clean and leaves them looking beautiful.

Fluoride treatment

Finally, your dentist may administer a fluoride treatment to protect your teeth from oral cavities and other dental problems. During this treatment, the dentist will fit a mouthpiece over your teeth, fill it with a foam or gel containing a high concentration of fluoride and then ask you to let it sit in your mouth for a few minutes.

Knowing what happens during professional teeth cleaning appointments can help ease any worries or concerns you may have. You might even start to look forward to your appointment. Contact a local dental office like Queen Street Dental for more info.