Today is World Oral Health Day. Teeth cleaning is an important part of oral care, but many people still have doubts about teeth cleaning. Dentist Li Jieyi said, “Regular teeth cleaning can not only remove tartar and tartar film, but also effectively prevent or detect potential dental problems as early as possible to avoid the serious consequences of periodontal disease or loose teeth in the future.”
Is tooth cleaning pain caused by the dentist’s gestures?
There are two main reasons for whether you will feel pain during teeth cleaning:
Inflammation of the gum: If the gum is inflamed, you will feel pain when the vibrating metal tip of the dental scaler touches the gum during teeth cleaning.
Exposed tooth roots: If the tooth roots are exposed, the ultrasonic vibration of the dental scaler may contact the tooth roots or thin enamel and cause irritation, which may also cause discomfort.
Li Kit-yi emphasized, “The main cause of pain is often the patient’s own oral health condition rather than the doctor’s professional skills. Most dentists in Hong Kong have received professional training and will not harm the patient’s tooth surface at will.” For patients who feel pain, Li Kit-yi pointed out that if they have experienced discomfort during tooth cleaning in the past, especially those with exposed tooth roots or inflamed gums, they can communicate with the dentist in advance and request the use of local anesthetics to reduce discomfort.
Worst case scenario: loose tooth
Li Jieyi said, “The main purpose of teeth cleaning is to remove dental calculus and tartar film. Although tartar film can be removed by daily brushing, once tartar forms, it requires professional teeth cleaning to remove it.” Dental calculus and tartar film accumulate on the gum surface for a long time, which will cause It will cause inflammation of the gums. “If the problem is not taken seriously, it may cause the gums to separate from the gum bone, eventually leading to tooth loosening.” In addition, regular teeth cleaning can check whether there are problems such as tooth decay or periodontal disease, and can effectively reduce the bacteria in the mouth and prevent bad breath.
4 types of people need to clean their teeth frequently
According to the Department of Health, 90% of adults in Hong Kong have varying degrees of gum inflammation or periodontal disease. Therefore, regular dental cleaning not only keeps your mouth clean but also prevents potential dental problems. It is generally recommended that healthy people have their teeth cleaned every 6 months. For people with risk factors such as diabetes, heart disease, low immunity, or smoking, it is recommended that they have their teeth cleaned every 3 months. Li Jieyi suggested, “It is best for pregnant women to have their teeth cleaned between 4 and 6 months of pregnancy, because the hormones during this period will increase the number of oral bacteria. Women can have their teeth cleaned as usual during menstruation.”
3 myths about teeth cleaning
Does teeth scaling make the gaps between teeth wider?
Many people worry that problems such as air leakage, enlarged gaps between teeth, or loose teeth may occur after teeth cleaning. Li Jieyi explained that the calculus removed during the teeth cleaning process makes the tooth surface clean, and hidden oral problems will emerge. Enlarged gaps between teeth and loose teeth may be related to periodontal disease or teeth grinding habits. Therefore, these are existing problems of the patient. It is recommended to continue to maintain oral hygiene to prevent further expansion of gaps between teeth.
Can dental cleaning whiten teeth?
Li Jieyi believes that tooth cleaning only removes stains on the tooth surface, while tooth whitening changes the color by penetrating the enamel with chemicals. Therefore, teeth whitening alone cannot achieve the whitening effect.
Periodontal disease in adolescents Is stress causing trouble?
Recently, the government has actively promoted oral care for middle school students. Li Jieyi pointed out that periodontal disease in teenagers is not common, but it is already serious when discovered, mainly affecting teenagers aged 11 to 15 years old. “The gum bone of the patient’s front teeth and first large molar is inflamed and contracted, and there is usually not much calculus and tartar film, so X-ray examination is required to detect it.” The cause of this disease is unknown, and may be related to low immunity and high stress; it may cause the patient to still have periodontal disease as he grows up, increase the number of teeth cleanings, and even expose the root of the tooth, leading to loose teeth in the future.
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