What to Expect from a Dental Cleaning

Your dental hygiene routine isn’t complete without routine dental cleanings. Regular teeth cleanings free your teeth from plaque and tartar buildup that can cause cavities and gum disease. If you live in Burr Ridge, Illinois, or surrounding communities, you can visit the office of Janet S. Stopka, DDS, PC, for a dental cleaning.

What Happens During a Dental Cleaning

Your dental cleaning will start with an examination of your mouth to assess your oral health. Dr. Janet Stopka will inspect your mouth, tongue, gums, and teeth to detect signs of dental issues like decay and gum disease. If you’re a new patient or haven’t seen a dentist in a while, we’ll take x-rays to check your bone health under the gum line and look for hidden dental issues. We’ll discuss our findings with you and schedule restorative dental work if needed.

If you have no dental issues, we’ll clean your teeth to remove plaque and tartar from your tooth surface and near the gum line. Tartar, also called calculus, is plaque that has hardened on your teeth over time. Your Burr Ridge dentist will use special instruments to scale your teeth for dental tartar removal. Brushing and flossing your teeth at home will minimize plaque buildup, but it won’t completely eliminate it, as there are areas your toothbrush can’t reach. That’s why you need routine dental cleanings. 

Once plaque and tartar have been removed, we’ll brush your teeth using an electric toothbrush and gritty toothpaste that scrubs them clean. Then, we’ll floss and polish your teeth to leave them smooth and shiny.

Dangers of Gum Disease

Forgoing dental cleanings puts you at risk of developing gum disease due to the accumulation of harmful bacteria under the gumline of your teeth. In its advanced stage, gum disease can cause: 

• Swollen, bleeding gums
• Gum recession
• Loose teeth and
• Premature tooth loss

Routine dental cleanings help preserve your tooth and gum health to keep you from losing natural teeth unnecessarily. 

Dental Cleaning Near Me

To schedule a dental exam and cleaning, contact your Burr Ridge, IL dentist, Dr. Janet Stopka, at (630) 756-5844 today.