PROFESSIONAL TEETH Cleaning

Home dental care is often not enough to keep teeth and gums healthy. Cavities and periodontal disease can easily develop where toothbrushing cannot reach. That is why it is necessary to complement at-home oral hygiene with regular professional dental cleanings. Both are essential to maintain oral health [1] and avoid serious and costly dental issues in the future.

The professional teeth cleaning procedure is based on a study conducted by the Swedish professor Dr. Axelsson. This study started in the 1970s and was conducted for about 30 years with 375 patients. In 2004, the results were published, and it was scientifically demonstrated the numerous benefits of regular professional teeth cleaning. Today, it is one of the most requested preventive dental procedures worldwide.

1. Why professional teeth cleaning is so important?

The oral microbiome is unique to each person. A professional dental treatment aims to solve visible dental problems and maintain this personal microbiome balance. It is mainly composed of salivary bacteria, enabling specific pre digestive processes.

An accelerated multiplication of these oral microbiome forms on the teeth surfaces, what is known as plaque or, more recently, biofilm. This dental biofilm forms naturally one hour after brushing. If it is not removed properly, the uncontrolled growth of bacteria can cause tooth decay or gum inflammation. If the biofilm remains on the teeth for a long time, it hardens, and tartar appears.

Daily adequate teeth brushing and flossing will remove much of this biofilm. However, maintaining oral health requires taking care of teeth, gum, tissues, and tongue [2]. To achieve this goal, oral hygiene should not be limited to brushing teeth at home. A regular professional dental cleaning is then required to remove bacterial plaque entirely.

2. What does a professional teeth cleaning include?

Professional dental cleaning consists of an intensive and thorough cleaning of the entire oral cavity. Its objective is to remove hard and soft biofilm from the gums and interdental spaces. Professional teeth cleaning allows the oral biofilm to be kept below the thresholds that cause dental disease. To achieve this, it is necessary to professionally remove both supragingival (visible) and subgingival (invisible) plaque.

3. How often must a professional dental cleaning be carried out?

The German Dental Association considers a professional dental cleaning every six months to be an ideal complement to at-home oral hygiene and an excellent aid to maintain oral health.

However, there are health conditions in which professional teeth cleaning should be performed at shorter intervals. For example, patients with type 2 diabetes, who often suffer from chronic periodontitis, may benefit from a professional cleaning performed every three months. It helps improve oral health and prevent the progression of periodontitis [3].

4. What are the risks of poor oral hygiene?

Healthy teeth are not only good for appearance, but also for general health. In recent decades, several scientific studies have shown how oral diseases are linked to systemic diseases. They are also associated with the worsening of pre-existing conditions. Therefore, the mouth is considered a window to overall health.

The excessive increase in oral bacteria not only leads to tooth decay and gingivitis. They can also enter the bloodstream and settle in other body organs. Periodontitis is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease [4]. Pneumonia may also be associated with a diseased oral microbiome.

In Germany, progress has been made in general oral health in recent decades. Cavities in the general population have decreased considerably. However, periodontitis remains a problem. 43.4% of young adults (aged 35 to 44 years) suffer from moderate periodontitis and 8.2% from severe periodontitis. Among older adults (65 to 74 years), 44.8% have moderate periodontitis, and 19.8% have severe periodontitis [5]. These statistics demonstrate the great work that still needs to be done to improve oral health in our country.

Understanding how essential it is to complement home oral hygiene with professional dental cleaning is really important.

5. How is a professional teeth cleaning performed?

A professional teeth cleaning involves a series of steps [6] and takes approximately one hour in total.

1. The dentist carried out a thorough analysis of the oral cavity. This analysis is the basis for the following steps.
2. Removal of hard and soft biofilm from the gums.
3. Cleaning of the tooth surface. For this, a rotating brush and specialized toothpaste are used.
4. Cleaning of the proximal tooth surfaces with dental floss or interdental brushes, as needed.
5. Strengthening of tooth enamel.

If there are deficiencies in oral hygiene at home, the dentist will give the patient, professional advice on how to improve it. It includes the correct use of dental floss, toothbrush, interdental brushes, and, if necessary, tongue cleaner.

6. Is a professional dental cleaning painful?

During a dental cleaning, pain can occur if there is already gum inflammation or bacterial inflammation of the periodontium (periodontitis). In this case, the tooth may be susceptible to external stimuli. Pain can be avoided by offering patients with tooth sensitivity a local anaesthetic.

Also, modern professional laser teeth cleaning is a painless and very effective alternative against bacterial plaque.

7.  Conclusions

The oral cavity is a complex system, and its microbiome needs daily care. For proper oral health care, teeth, gums, tissues, and tongue must be thoroughly cleaned. At-home oral hygiene is essential, but it is not enough. General health is directly related to oral health, and the mouth is the window of our overall health. Professional teeth cleaning is an excellent prevention treatment for controlling tooth decay and gum disease. It must be performed regularly.

8. Reference List

[1] Hellwege, K.D. (2007). Die Praxis der professionellen Zahnreinigung & Ultraschall-Scaling. Stuttgart: George Thieme Verlag. DOI: 10.1055/b-002-7274
[2] Hellwege, K.D (2003). Die Praxis der zahnmedizinischen Prophylaxe. Stuttgart: George Thieme Verlag.
[3] López, N et al. (2014). Routine Prophylaxes Every 3 Months Improves Chronic Periodontitis Status in Type 2 Diabetes. Journal of Periodontology, 85 (7), 232-240. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24354651/
[4] Harvard Heart Letter (2018). Gum disease and heart disease: The common thread.
https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/gum-disease-and-heart-disease-the-common-thread
[5] IDZ – Institut der Deutschen Zahnärzte (2014). Fünfte Deutsche Mundgesundheitsstudie (DMS V). https://www.bzaek.de/fileadmin/PDFs/dms/Zusammenfassung_DMS_V.pdf
[6] Hellwege, K.D (2003). Die Praxis der zahnmedizinischen Prophylaxe. Stuttgart: George Thieme Verlag. DOI: 10.1055/b-002-7274