Dental prophylaxis is an important method used to prevent dental diseases by removing their causal factors (dental plaque -adherent dental deposit on the dental surface, bacterial infection and food scraps) and preventing complications of already existing dental diseases.
It is very important to maintain a very good oral hygiene (brushing, use of mouthwash, flossing, use of superfloss if you have dental bridges), but this requires attention and proper sanitation techniques without which it is very likely that you develop deposits of tartar, gum inflammation (with larger volume, red coloration, pain and may bleed spontaneously or when chewing/brushing) and incipient carious lesions (like white chalky spots on the teeth surface). It is also very important, before implementing dental therapeutic manoeuvres (endodontic treatment, extractions, dental work), to assure an aseptic environment, with no outbreaks of bacterial infection.
The complete hygiene package includes the scaling, professional cleaning and air-flow.
Professional cleaning should be performed regularly, once every 6 months for healthy patients or with shorter periods (3 months) for patients suffering from periodontal disease.
Modern scaling is ultrasonic and can be completed by manual scaling.
Ultrasonic scaling involves removing tartar (hard deposit, tooth-coloured or coloured in yellow/brown/black) through a loop that generates ultrasonic vibrations and dislodges chunks of tartar that adhere to the tooth surface and a jet of water that quickly removes residues.
It does not require anaesthesia (it only does so in people who have a very high sensitivity of the teeth called dentin hyperesthesia), it uses no chemicals and it does not affect the tooth structure.
Situations in which this process cannot be performed are limited: small children, people diagnosed with contagious diseases and patients with mental health problems.
After scaling, teeth will feel clean and smooth and you will have a pleasant and comfortable feeling.
Professional cleaning is done after scaling, in order to polish dental surfaces subjected to this process or it can be done periodically to individuals who fail to clean their teeth effectively at home (people with mental health problems, children).
In the second case plaque can be revealed in the dental office, i.e. staining of the dental areas that do not benefit from effective cleaning so you know where it is necessary to insist with brushing, to correct the current cleaning technique.
The Air-flow process is achieved by spraying a jet of high-pressure air, water and sodium bicarbonate particles on the tooth surface, so the effect obtained is the efficient removal of dental plaque (penetrates very well in the areas between teeth). Surface finish after scaling is also a method of teeth whitening, bringing them to their natural shade of white (without using gels with chemical action, but performing a mechanical cleaning of stains on the tooth surface).
By calling on our services every six months for professional cleaning, you will be able to enjoy healthy, bright teeth, and a fresh and pleasant breath.
Anti-inflammatory medication
Sometimes, after scaling, depending on the amount and age of the tartar deposit, the gum it gets affected, inflamed, but this is a reversible process, with the removal of the causal factors, the gums will return to their normal state. Depending on the severity of the damage to the gum, the time required for this varies and anti-inflammatory drug therapy is a very good help. It helps to speed up healing. Thus, in practice, after cleaning, a special paste that contains an antibiotic will be applied and then the doctor will prescribe mouthwashes that you will use at home for two weeks, twice a day, by rinsing.
Fluoridation
Dental hard tissues need fluoride to strengthen their resistance to the harmful action of acids produced by bacteria in the mouth. It is also very beneficial in the case of incipient carious lesions (white, chalky spots), stopping their evolution.
Fluoridation methods are multiple. It can be administered generally and locally.
The one administered generally can come from drinking water, fluoridation of salt, fluoridation of milk and fluoride tablets, a minimum contribution of 1.3 ppm F / day being required.
For the administration of fluoride tablets to children it is necessary to consult a general practitioner, who will prescribe the necessary amount of fluoride depending on the child’s age and weight. The full program starts since the prenatal period, when the mother should receive fluoride from the 4th month of pregnancy until birth.
Local fluoridation of dental structures can be performed at home or you can visit our office, where you will be performed a faster and more comfortable intervention.
At home, you can use toothpaste and mouthwash with fluoride or some lacquers / gels / toothpastes rich in fluoride, applied in a disposable / individualized tray brush, in the office or directly applied on the surface of the teeth.
In the dental office fluoridation is performed after teeth are cleaned, using lacquers / gels / toothpastes with high concentrations of fluoride. But it can be controlled by the practitioner, and it represents the fastest and most effective method of local fluoridation.
For maintaining healthy teeth and fresh breath and a reduced number of visits to the dental practice observe FOLLOWING rules:
- Brush your teeth regularly, at least 2 times a day, in the morning and in the evening
- The brushing must last at least 2 minutes
- Replace your toothbrush every 3 months
- After brushing, floss to clean between the teeth, where the toothbrushes cannot reach
- Review your diet, reduce the amount of sugar consumed
- Eat fresh fruit and vegetables, which besides the vitamins they provide, they also mechanically clean the teeth and massage the gums
- Visit your dentist regularly for a general examination (every 6 months)