Four Things Dental Cleanings Can Treat

A dental cleaning is a common dental procedure that is primarily performed for preventive purposes. This means it is not generally used to treat more complex oral health concerns but instead is used to prevent oral health concerns from developing in the first place. However, there are some minor oral health concerns that dental cleanings can help treat.

Types of oral health concerns a dental cleaning can treat

Four common issues that are improved with regular dental cleanings from a licensed dentist are plaque and tartar build-up on the surface of teeth and along the gumline, weakened teeth enamel, bad breath, and the early stages of gum disease. The following is a more in-depth review of how dental cleanings can help treat these oral health concerns.

Weakened teeth enamel

If plaque and tartar stay on teeth for long enough, then an acidic reaction can begin to occur to the dental enamel, which is the outermost layer of teeth. The enamel can begin to weaken and start to change color. If this occurs, then cavities (tiny holes in teeth) can develop soon after. Dental cleanings cannot treat cavities, but they can reverse the early signs of enamel decay before the enamel erodes.

Bad breath

Bad breath is a sign of other more serious oral health concerns such as gum disease; bad breath can also develop as a result of plaque and tartar build-up as well, along with possible other causes such as dry mouth. Dental cleanings often improve or eliminate bad breath, and the dentist can conduct an oral examination during the same visit to determine the most likely cause and make a recommendation if additional treatment is necessary.

Gingivitis (gum disease)

Gingivitis is a less severe form of gum disease. It can typically be treated through dental cleanings and improvements in the patient’s at-home oral care routine. This is important as leaving gingivitis untreated for too long could lead to the issue worsening into periodontitis, a far more severe form of gum disease that is more challenging to treat.