Hi, I'm Dr. Dao at Healthy Smiles Dental. We have a lot of questions about dental cleaning, so today I will answer some of the most common questions about this topic to help you understand more about dental cleanings.
Cleaning versus Routine Cleanings: What's the Difference?
So, the regular clean—let's talk about regular clean. You know we are eating every day. I'm going to show you here because this is a picture. You're going to see how dirty your teeth are—here, here, or here. So, it's going to be a regular clean, a routine cleaning, or a deep clean. It depends on what stage your gum condition is at, the bone level, and how dirty they are.
Routine cleaning is usually every 4 to 6 months, and we are going to clean. Of course, you can see dirt here every time we eat anything. The food gets stuck there, and we're going to brush and floss right away, and usually, it gets out—40, 60, 80, 90%. It depends on the kind of cleaning and how well you clean. So, 10, 20, 30% is left and not able to be cleaned. So, where are they? A lot of them are in between and cannot be cleaned, and some are in the back of the teeth. And whatever is not cleaned at three to four months later gets hard, and you cannot clean it at all with a regular toothbrush. If you try to clean it with a toothbrush, you can destroy the bone here and the gum here. So, when you go to the office ready to clean, we can clean this stuff. We have instruments to clean this area here. All right, so that is a regular clean.
Now, if your gum has inflammation and is splitting—you can see here—and you can see even more bone loss here, a lot of buildup here, then that means we need more than routine cleaning. So let me give you an example. It's easier to see why we need it. If I just show here, if you can see right here—if you just look here, on top, here is the gum condition, right? This side or this side, you see it's a little bit different, right? Not much. And this side too, here and here, you can see some black buildup right there. But why do we need the deep cleaning? So look—if I open the gum up, you can see—look, this side looks fine. Okay, this side, you can see, looks fine; it's clean. But if I open the gum and go over here—look under the gum—it's very under the gum that you don't see. Look, I strip it out—you can see it under the gum. Look at how much dirt is here and here. And the same thing here on top—it doesn't look as dirty, but if I strip here, it's hidden under the gum, and you can see it's very dirty. You see that? So this we call deep cleaning because we have to go below the gum, and we need to clean all this out. That's what we call Deep Clean.
Okay, so routine cleaning is just at the gum level. Deep cleaning—we have to go below the gum to clean those hidden particles that have been there for years and cannot be cleaned away with brushing or something like that. Okay, that's the difference. And how often do we do it? Every two years.
Why is Dental Cleaning Necessary?
As far as we know, we start this—can you see in the picture here? We have the teeth clean normally. We brush our teeth. You all know we do regular cleaning daily. If we don't, within 48 hours, bacteria get trapped in the mouth. It causes inflammation—we call it plaque—so we clean that. Every six months, this stuff gets hard, so we need to get it out. It is needed because if not, you can see this here—progressively without cleaning, it's going down, and it's going to lead to bone loss here. You can see the bone loss here, and it goes down. In advanced cases, it can go to your bloodstream and your artery, and it can block the artery and lead to a stroke or heart attack. Or, if you have diabetes, it gets into the bloodstream, worsening the diabetic condition. So that's why it is very important to keep your teeth clean.
How Long Can I Go Without a Dental Cleaning?
We recommend you should go every four to six months, depending on your condition. If you're like this condition, it's six months because it starts building up here. But if you have what we call periodontal disease—where you've already lost bone in the gum—and you can see here too, a lot of buildup, that we call the condition advanced, then you need to go every four months. If not every six months, the bone is going to get looser, and you can lose your teeth. So that’s four to six months depending on the condition.
What Does the Dentist or Hygienist Do at a Dental Cleaning Appointment?
At a dental cleaning appointment, what we're going to do is, as a dental hygienist or a dentist, first of all, we have a whole list of things we have to do. We have to examine your gum condition, check your gum condition, what the status is, how your inflammation is, and if you have any bleeding when touched. We check your bone level—whether it's good or bad. Then we also check for cavities. You can see here and also in the mouth. We're going to check if you have any abscesses—you may see abscesses here. We also check for many other things: any cracks or broken teeth, any conditions that may cause joint problems, tongue problems, or anything that potentially looks like cancer. We also look at your bite—the way you bite, how your teeth look, and any eruptions.
We're also looking at the patient’s age. We see kids from 5 years old to 90 years old. At 5 years old, for the first cleaning, we look at brushing habits and check for cavities. Between 7 and 10 years old, there’s usually a mix of adult and baby teeth. They have both, and at that age, we usually check for cavities, abscesses, and proper eruption timing. We check for these during that time.
For teenagers, around 11 to 15 years old, we check for cavities, gum health, and also the eruption of the teeth to ensure proper development. If teeth aren't developing in the right way—too far in or out—we look at alignment. It’s important to catch that early so it can be corrected with development.
Around 15 to 18 years old, in addition to cavities and eruption, we start looking at wisdom teeth. We can check for impaction—when a wisdom tooth is too long and damages the gum. It can cause abscesses, and often needs to be removed early for prevention.
From around 20 to 50 years old, we look for cavities and gum conditions. These are diseases that need to be addressed early, like cracked teeth or infections. We also look for anything that appears abnormal or like cancer—very important.
We also review cosmetic concerns. Are the teeth in the right position? Are they too dark or crooked? We can address those with cosmetic treatments to give you the smile you want so you can laugh confidently. That contributes to your happiness and success.
Even at 60 to 80 years old, it's never too late for cosmetic improvements. We look at oral health, chewing ability, missing teeth, and ways to maintain your smile. We help you preserve your teeth and even reverse the clock a little to look younger. That confidence is important, and it's all part of your dental care. We also evaluate stability for replacements so you can eat better and be happier. These are all aspects we review during the cleaning process, and we can give further recommendations as needed.
How Painful is a Dental Cleaning?
Let me tell you—the regular, routine cleaning usually isn’t painful. Sometimes you might feel a little sensitivity, which is completely normal. Why? If your teeth were covered with buildup and we remove it, you may feel exposed areas become sensitive. That’s regular cleanings.
If there is a lot of buildup, once it’s removed and the tooth surface is smoothed, sensitivity can occur for half a day to two days. Imagine buildup covering the surface—when removed, sensitivity is normal. It usually lasts half a day to two days. We typically provide pain relief if needed. In rare cases, it may last longer, but we also offer special rinses to help reduce discomfort.
Why Do My Teeth Feel Weird After Cleaning?
Of course, it’s very normal to feel weird after cleaning. Sometimes you have buildup that’s been there for months or years. Your tongue gets used to that texture. Once it’s removed, it feels different—and anything different can feel strange at first.
Do Gums Heal After Tartar Removal by Teeth Cleaning?
Yes, they do. Gum disease is caused by dirt, bacteria, and inflammation. The bacteria are toxic to your bone and gums. Once we clean it up, the area begins to heal. The gum tightens and improves, but it takes about two weeks to heal.
Does Teeth Cleaning Include Cavities?
No, teeth cleaning doesn’t include filling cavities, but it helps reduce the chance of developing them by keeping the area clean.
How Much Does a Dental Cleaning Cost?
It depends. If it’s a routine cleaning, the cost is lower. If it’s for periodontal disease, which needs special treatment, it can go from $80 or $90 up to $1,000 depending on the severity.
How Do I Keep My Teeth Clean After Teeth Cleaning?
After a cleaning, go home and floss every single day. When teeth are inflamed, they bleed. They won’t heal unless kept clean. Hygienists clean it for you, but you must continue with flossing. You may bleed at first, but keep flossing daily for at least two to three weeks. After that, ideally floss every day. If not, every other day at minimum. Bacteria grow after 48 hours, so floss regularly to prevent buildup.
Water rinsing is also helpful. Sometimes your dentist may recommend a prescription rinse depending on inflammation or infection to speed up healing.
How Do You Schedule a Dental Cleaning Appointment?
After finishing your dental exam and cleaning, we recommend scheduling your next appointment right away—typically for four to six months out. This ensures you don’t forget or miss the follow-up.
I hope this helps! If you have any more questions or you're ready to schedule, please call us at (724) 308-9360. We’re here to help—thank you so much!