Dental Cleanings
Tigard, OR
Are your teeth clean right now? How do you know? When you run your tongue over your teeth, what happens? Does your tongue slide across like it is a never-ending stream of smoothness? Alternatively, is it a little bumpy or gritty? When was the last time your teeth were cleaned? Are you struggling to remember when it was? If you can’t remember, it has probably been too long. You need to consider coming in to get your teeth cleaned. That’s because a lack of regular dental cleaning and checkup exams means that you are more likely to suffer from tooth decay and gum disease - two things you don’t want. Over 65 million Americans have gum disease - which can lead to tooth loss. Over half of the adult population in the United States has lost a tooth due to tooth decay. We can change those numbers for the better, one patient at a time. Let Lincoln Center Smiles tell you why cleaning your teeth makes such a difference.
Why Do I Have to Come and See You?
The American Dental Association recommends that you get your teeth cleaned every six months. There are several reasons why you need to come in to see us. First, clean, healthy teeth are the best defense against tooth and gum disease. Our first priority is to keep your teeth healthy and whole for life. Second, when you get your teeth cleaned thoroughly, you are ridding your mouth of bacteria. Excessive amounts of bacteria can lead to problems, not just in your mouth, but in your body. Over time, that bacteria can lead to infections in your gums, and in other areas of your body, such as your heart. We want to stop that from happening.
What Are Teeth Cleanings Like?
First, we will examine your teeth. We will also ask you about any health conditions we should know about. That’s because sometimes medications or medical conditions have an effect on your teeth. For example, if you take allergy and asthma medication, your mouth may be dry often. This is a problem because a dry mouth allows more bacteria to grow. We can make recommendations to you to help you keep your mouth moist. While we are examining your teeth, we are looking for problems you might have. We look for cavities. We also look for signs of gum disease. We look for signs of other problems in your mouth, such as bumps or spots that we might need to check. We will ask you at least once a year to let us take x-rays, which help us see changes in your teeth over time.
Then we clean your teeth. That means we remove all of the bacteria, tartar, and plaque from your teeth and gumline. There are many ways we can do this, but they all amount to you having sparkly, smooth teeth when we’re done. We might also give you pointers on how to keep your teeth clean and healthy. For example, if you are flossing every day, there may be a spot you are missing. We can give you pointers to make sure you are reaching each tooth.
Now that you know how easy and wonderful teeth cleaning is, give Lincoln Center Smiles a call today at (503) 598-0898 and let us make you an appointment for sparkly teeth! |
