The health of your teeth and gums depends directly on the quality of oral hygiene.
Where does tartar build-up and tooth plaque come from?
Dental plaque is a soft, sticky, colourless, and to a certain extent, invisible layer on the crown of the tooth. Dental plaque is composed of soft food residue and microorganisms. The presence of bacteria in dental plaque supports the development of tooth decay and gum inflammation. Dental plaque mineralization results in a sediment, called tartar.
Controlling the amount of plaque can be straightforward – mechanical and chemical disruption and removal of plaque within oral hygiene or indirect – diet adjustment.
What is dental hygiene?
Dental hygiene is preventive care performed in a dental clinic that aims to remove tartar, plaque, and other grime. Dental hygiene reduces the number of bacteria in the oral cavity, thus reducing the risk of infection, periodontitis (set of inflammatory diseases affecting the tissues surrounding the teeth) and tooth decay. In addition to professional oral care, dental hygiene at SofiDent includes home care training and counselling.
How often should dental hygiene be done?
Dental hygiene should be done at least once every 6 months, at least twice a year. Classic tooth cleaning, even with the use of dental floss and interdental brushes, is not enough. A patient is usually not able to easily get to the back teeth at home. Therefore, as a general rule, it is necessary to undergo dental hygiene every six months, where all interdental deposits might be removed.
How does dental hygiene work?
Dental hygiene takes place in several stages. First, the dental hygienist performs an initial examination of your oral cavity. This is followed by the tooth cleaning phase, during which the tartar and dental plaque are removed from the surface of the teeth. If your gums do not bleed, the cleaning is performed using manual instruments or by ultrasonic scaling instruments. After the teeth are cleaned, they are further polished using a rotating polishing device. A protective paste is used to make your teeth polished and smooth. To reinforce the tooth enamel, fluoride is applied. Finally, the correct tooth cleaning technique and the necessary instruments will be explained. The whole process usually takes 60 minutes.
If your dental hygienist discovers that your gums are inflamed and bleed, or that your dental pockets are deeper than 3 mm and you have exposed tooth roots, you will need special care. Dental hygiene is then performed on sections of the denture and is more time-consuming.
What is tooth sandblasting (AirFlow)?
AirFlow is a widespread mechanical dental cleaning method in dental hygiene. This is a gentle removal of tartar and dental plaque, even in heavily cleanable interdental spaces. The AirFlow principle is based on a focused jet of compressed air, water, and bicarbonate particles to gently polish away any surface staining from the teeth. AirFlow is a painless method.
