Many people in our community have reported difficulty finding available appointments for a cleaning with their local dentist. We’re glad to let you all know that we have appointment times available for cleanings, so we can help get your family ready for a new school year! In today’s blog, Dreem Dentistry in Leawood, KS, talks about our cleanings and introduces our newest team member!
The Onset of Plaque and Tartar Buildup
We recommend our patients and their families see our team for a routine dental cleaning every six months. If you have gum disease or risk factors for the disease, then you may need one every three to four months. This is because harmful oral bacteria will break down and consume the bits of sugar and starch left behind the foods and drinks we consume. When this happens, oral acidity rises and your teeth are coated in a sticky layer of plaque, which hardens into tartar with time.
To keep your smile healthy, you need to have these layers removed regularly, and brushing and flossing alone is not enough. Otherwise, the plaque and tartar layers could weaken and erode the outer enamel to make cavities possible, and also irritate and inflame the gums to cause gingivitis and even gum disease. You could also develop bad breath and stained teeth too! But we can help with a preventive visit, so see us today!
Dental Cleanings
A dental cleaning involves removing all plaque and tartar from the teeth, and is done as part of your six-month checkup visit. Our team will use an ultrasonic scaling device, which emits gentle vibrations, to remove the plaque and tartar. We then follow this with a manual pick for the more stubborn portions of your buildup. The final step is to polish the teeth for a brighter appearance, which also creates a smooth surface on the teeth that prevents major buildup from occurring before we see you again. The procedure only takes a few short minutes, and is essential for controlling harmful buildup.
Meet Our New Hygienist
We know that right now people in our community are having a difficult time finding openings at dental offices for checkups appointments. Fortunately, we have a full team ready to help, and we can see you now, preparing your family for a new school year. To ensure this, we have added a new registered dental hygienist, Laila! She is a graduate of Johnson County Community College, receiving her Associate of Applied Science Degree in Dental Hygiene in May 2026. She has worked with us before as a dental assistant, and we are so proud to see her take this new position, helping our patients enjoy bright and healthy smiles!
What Happens After?
Following your appointment, you can take steps at home to preserve your oral hygiene and keep your smile strong before we can see you again. For example, you can start and end each day by brushing for two minutes with a fluoride toothpaste. You also need to floss every evening, preferably right before you brush the second time, to remove food and drink particles that a toothbrush cannot reach. You can also help by cutting back on the sugar and starch in your diet, and by avoiding tobacco products. These steps fight tooth decay and gum disease, and help your teeth stay bright and ensure fresher breath.
What About Deep Cleanings?
We also offer a periodontal cleaning, known as a scaling and root planing. If we examine your smile and find you have gum disease, then we may need to use the same tools to remove buildup from both the teeth and the exposed roots, and sometimes from under the gums. This also helps destroy disease-causing bacteria. The process is a bit more involved, so we may numb your smile beforehand, and this could take one visit or several, it all depends on the severity of your buildup. Patients then need a routine visit every three or four months to control inflammation and disease, helping you avoid the stages linked to tooth loss.
If you have any questions about how we protect your smile with a cleaning or if you want to call and receive one from our newest registered dental hygienist, then contact our team today. We look forward to helping you smile with confidence, and avoiding long-term problems like tooth decay and gum disease!
Learn More About Dental Care for Your Children
We want to protect your children from cavities with a routine checkup visit. Call Dreem Dentistry in Leawood, KS, today at (913) 681-5500 to schedule your visit with our friendly team.
