Do Professional Cleanings Help Prevent Gingivitis?

Brushing, flossing and rinsing are important tools in the fight against gingivitis. In fact, they are the most important steps you can take to fight this disease because performing them regularly ensures that you are killing the bacteria that cause gingivitis each and every day.

But, your home oral hygiene routine is not the only thing that’s important if you’re trying to prevent gingivitis. Visiting the dentist twice a year for cleaning is critical too. No matter how diligent you are in your oral hygiene routine, you will not be able to kill 100% of the bacteria on your teeth. Some of it will end up hardening on your teeth, creating plaque. It is this plaque that causes gingivitis, and once it has hardened, professional cleanings are the only way to remove it. That’s why it’s so important to combine your good at home routine with professional cleanings twice each year. This way, you minimize the plaque that can form by removing the bacteria before it can turn to plaque, but you also remove plaque that does form.

But, there’s another important reason you shouldn’t neglect those regular dental cleanings. When you visit the dentist to have your teeth cleaned, you also get a dental checkup. This includes looking for cavities, and as you get older, an oral cancer screening too. These steps are very important to your overall oral health. Your dentist can use these opportunities to discuss with you any concerns he or she has about the health of your mouth, and help you take care of them before they become a serious problem.

So, be certain that you include all the important steps in your oral hygiene routine. Brush at least twice a day, and floss at least once, before brushing. Use a good antibacterial mouthwash several times a day, as well. These steps that you take at home are particularly effective at preventing and treating gingivitis. If possible, use all natural oral care products made from oil of mint for these steps. Oil of mint is one of the most powerful anti-bacterial and anti-fungal agents, so it really kills the bacteria.

But, in addition to these steps; be sure to include your dentist as your partner in preventing gingivitis. Those twice yearly cleanings and checkups are very important to ensuring that your mouth is healthy overall and free from gingivitis.