Cleaning your teeth every day at home, while important, is only part of a successful routine. Visiting your dentist at least once a year may help ensure a healthy mouth. Your dentist will use professional tools to remove plaque, tartar, and bacteria build-up that you are generally unable to efficiently clean yourself. Combining regular brushing and flossing with an annual dentist’s office visit will not only give you a more confident smile, but it will also help protect you from tooth decay, tooth loss, and periodontal disease, also known as gum disease.

How often should I get my teeth cleaned?

The American Dental Association recommends that you visit your dentist at least once a year to get a routine examination and cleaning. If you have a history of periodontal disease, you should get your teeth cleaned more often in order to prevent the recurrence of infections or disease. You should also have your teeth cleaned more often if you suffer from chronic conditions such as diabetes or heart disease due to their link to dental problems.

If you smoke, you should consider quitting. Smoking can permanently stain your teeth and create other tooth and gum problems. If you do not intend to quit smoking, you should get your teeth cleaned more frequently. Talk to your dentist to find out exactly how often you should get your teeth cleaned.

Why do my gums bleed after a teeth cleaning?

If you have a lot of bacteria built up in your mouth, it can irritate your gums so that they become more sensitive and bleed more easily. This can happen after you visit your dentist for a teeth cleaning, because the dentist has to brush and touch instruments against your teeth and gums. This gum sensitivity may last for a day or two after a cleaning.

Teeth cleaning costs

Teeth cleaning costs vary. Some dental insurance companies cover the entire cost of teeth cleaning, so you won’t have to pay out of pocket. If you haven’t had your teeth cleaned in a long time or have had a lot of problems with your teeth, you may have to get a procedure called scaling and root planing, which involves cleaning the root surfaces of your teeth, which is more expensive than a routine visit.

It’s important to remember that even if you brush and floss regularly at home, it’s extremely important to get your teeth professionally cleaned by a dentist at least once a year so that you can prevent major dental problems. Getting your teeth cleaned is relatively painless and inexpensive, but the costs add up if you procrastinate and end up with cavities or gum disease. This combination of responsible dental care will give you clean teeth, a healthy mouth and a confident smile.