Oral Hygiene Care

What if you could reset the clock on all the damage done to your teeth? Is it possible to cancel out all the occasions when you forgot to brush or floss, all the dark coffee you drank and even the taffy you enjoyed at the beach? Our regular cleanings provide you with this “fresh start.”
With the importance our office places on preventive care, we work hard to perfect the regular cleaning. Our team of friendly and talented dental hygienists will guarantee that you receive both a thorough and gentle cleaning.

Furthermore, we’ll work with you to ensure that you’re brushing and flossing routine provides you with the greatest benefit possible to keep your dental health intact in between visits.

How Often Do I Need a Cleaning?

Our office supports the American Dental Association recommendation for a professional cleaning every six months. If you have missed cleanings and are experiencing significant tartar buildup or gum disease, more frequent cleanings may be temporarily necessary.

Why are Regular Cleanings Necessary?

You may feel like your teeth are healthy – especially if you practice good habits of brushing twice and flossing daily. Chances are, however, you are probably missing hard-to-reach areas in between your teeth and just below the gumline. Particularly if your teeth are slightly crooked or crowded, it can be difficult to access every single surface with a toothbrush and piece of floss.

These unreachable areas start to accumulate plaque, which will harden into tartar. Only professional dental instruments are able to remove tartar – a toothbrush just won’t do the trick. If tartar isn’t removed in a timely manner, you are creating the perfect conditions for cavity and gum disease development.

By prioritizing twice a year cleanings, you will save yourself more time and cost in the long run to treat problems that could have been prevented.

What Happens During a Cleaning?

There are three simple steps to a typical cleaning.

1) Your hygienist removes tartar from your teeth using ultrasonic instrument. Then, your hygienist rinses away the bits of tartar from your teeth.

2) Using fine, hand-held instruments, your hygienist goes over your teeth to find even smaller deposits of tartar that the ultrasonic instrument overlooked. Our equipment combined with strategically applied pressure will remove these stubborn tartar deposits from hard-to-reach crevices and beneath your gumline.

3) Once we remove all the plaque and tartar from your teeth, we’ll polish them using a device with a small rubber end and paste. The paste polishes your teeth to smooth, shiny perfection.

During your appointment, your hygienist will also discuss your home dental care habits with you and make recommendations for improving your routine, technique and equipment.

How Can I Save on Regular Cleanings?

Members of Quality Dental Plan, our patient savings plan, receive two free cleanings with fluoride treatments. Call our office to learn more about this incredible savings program.

Whether you’re on schedule and looking for a new local dentist to provide your cleanings or are a little behind, we are ready to provide your teeth with a deep clean. Give Dr. Delwiche’s Santa Rosa office a call today to schedule your appointment.