Teeth Cleaning

Regular teeth cleanings by your Manhattan Beach dentist are the backbone of good oral health. You should brush and floss diligently at home every day, but the healthiest teeth are those that receive meticulous care from their dental team at least twice a year. At Manhattan Beach Dental Solutions, we are dedicated to helping you maintain strong teeth for a lifetime.

What to expect at your teeth cleaning

You can expect the following to happen at every teeth cleaning from your Manhattan Beach dentist:

• Thorough dental cleaning: Our dental hygienists use special instruments to remove hardened tartar, bacteria, and plaque that your toothbrush cannot reach. This is followed by a careful flossing and polishing to a beautiful shine.
• Comprehensive examination: Every time you have a dental cleaning, you will also undergo a dental exam so your dentist can review your low-radiation digital x-rays (if you have any taken at that visit), look for changes in your teeth, inspect your mouth for gum disease, and note any suspicious areas that may require treatment.
• Oral cancer screening: The oral cancer screening is brief but incredibly important. Your dentist will check your gums, lips, cheeks, palate, tongue, tonsils, and neck for any lumps or suspicious patches. Early detection of oral cancer is key to successfully treating this aggressive disease.
• Advice and demonstrations: Your hygienist and dentist are happy to demonstrate proper brushing and flossing techniques as needed, as well as make recommendations about the best home-care tools and products to keep your teeth and mouth healthy and your breath fresh.

These visits are also the best time to consult with your dentist about aesthetic improvements that are right for your smile.

Why professional teeth cleanings are so important

It’s easy to think you don’t need to see your general dentist every six months, especially if you take good care of your teeth at home and do not suffer from any pain or discomfort. However, there are many important reasons why biannual dental cleanings are so important:

• Your dentist sees things you can’t. Teeth cleanings are called preventive care for a reason: Your dental team is trained to see signs of oral health problems that you would never pick up on your own. From gum recession to gum disease, cavities to a deteriorating restoration, any issue that is beginning to show itself can be addressed quickly with easy fixes before it turns into a big, painful problem that requires invasive treatments to correct.
• Professional tools make a difference. Your teeth might look and feel clean after your daily brushings and flossing, but there is no clean quite like the one your hygienist hand delivers. The tools used to scour your teeth truly scrape away build-up and bacteria for a deep-down clean and a shiny surface.
• You’re a better candidate for cosmetic dentistry. If you’ve been thinking about a smile makeover of any sort, from teeth whitening to porcelain veneers, Invisalign to tooth bonding, you need clean, healthy teeth first. With teeth cleanings, that strong oral health foundation stays solidly in place so you’re always a good candidate for a cosmetic dentistry upgrade.

Maximize your oral health with regular teeth cleanings

Remember, your teeth are not self-cleaning. You may have plenty of saliva in your mouth and drink lots of water every day, but that is not enough to keep your mouth clean. Rely on the gentle and compassionate dental team at Manhattan Beach Dental Solutions to keep your teeth and gums healthy for a lifetime with professional dental cleanings.