It is recommended to see a dentist every six months for a routine exam and dental cleaning. Professional dental cleanings are needed not just to keep your smile bright, but is also essential for maintaining oral hygiene and overall general health. While brushing and flossing can help maintain a healthy smile and cleanliness to a certain extent, a professional cleaning will ensure that your teeth and gums are healthy, clean and are in optimal condition. Dental cleaning cost will depend on the dentist office and the location of the office. Here are few dental cleaning advantages:

1. Avoid risks of gum disease and dental infection
   Having your teeth cleaned professionally twice a year can help reduce the risk of gum infection (periodontitis) or gum disease. If not cleaned properly these infections overtime can damage soft tissues and the bone that supports your teeth.
2. Prevent tooth decay
   The buildup of plaque on the teeth can result in cavities. It can be difficult to remove the plaque by brushing, so a visit to a dentist is a must. Your dentist will scrape away plaque and tartar reducing the risk of tooth decay.
3. Detect oral cancer early
   The benefits of dental cleaning is that by keeping up with the routine check up it can ensure that any signs of oral cancer are noticed during a routine cleaning before the condition worsens. It will be easier to treat oral cancer if detected at an early stage.

Different types of dental cleaning.

There are four different types of dental cleaning depending on the amount of plaque and tartar on your teeth.

1. Prophylaxis dental cleaning: Prophylaxis cleaning treatment is done to clean healthy teeth to prevent them from becoming affected by tooth decay or gum disease. Prophylaxis cleaning removes plaque and tartar from the anterior, posterior and sides of teeth using a dental scaler or water stream.
2. Scaling and root planing: Scaling and root planing are non-surgical deep teeth cleaning procedures which are more intensive than standard brushing in order to treat gingivitis and periodontitis. The process involves scraping the teeth with small dental cleaning tools. Scaling removes tartar from the tooth’s surface and below the gum line and also protects your gums from periodontal disease. Meanwhile root planing smooths the tooth root which helps the gum attach firmly to the tooth.
3. Periodontal maintenance cleaning: Similar to scaling and root planing periodontal maintenance cleaning is also designed to treat gum disease. They remove tartar and plaque from the tooth surface and below the gum line and smoothen the roots if required. However, the difference is that periodontal maintenance cleaning is performed more often compared to other types of teeth cleanings. This is because gum diseases are progressive and may continue to get worse overtime if not treated effectively.
4. Gross debridement cleaning: Gross debridement cleaning is a thorough deep cleaning of your entire mouth. This procedure is done for removing severe plaque buildup. The dentist may also use ultrasonic equipment and local anesthetic to numb sensitive areas during cleaning. Gross debridement cleaning is more invasive compared to standard teeth cleaning.