Simply stated, brushing and flossing at home cannot remove the plaque (soft, white sticky film of bacteria) and calculus (hardened plaque) build-up from your teeth and gums. Removing this bacteria prevents cavities and gum diseases like gingivitis and periodontitis. Dentists generally recommend a cleaning at least every six months. But more frequent cleanings are often beneficial. Our caring hygienists will help you determine the cleaning schedule you need to keep your smile beautiful for a lifetime.

Personalized care is our specialty.

Our hygiene team will advise you on what is a good frequency for your professional cleanings based on your oral health, your home care habits, and any medical conditions you may have. The recommendation may change throughout your lifetime as you change.

Our hygiene team will often recommend patients with more risk factors for gingivitis and periodontal disease come in for cleanings every three months. By coming more frequently, we can help prevent minor dental health problems before they become big ones.

High-risk patients who may require more frequent cleanings are:

• • people who already have periodontal disease
  • people with a weak immune system
  • people with a high rate of caries
  • smokers
  • people with diabetes
  • pregnant women
  • patients with a physical or mental impairment that inhibits their ability for quality home care of their teeth
  • patients undergoing chemo and/or radiation therapy due to the high risk for aggressive decay to happen during treatment
  • patients in active orthodontic treatment