Dental Hygeine
To ensure a beautiful healthy smile for life, it’s important for both adults and children to clean their teeth at least twice a day. At Kincaid dental we tailor the frequency of “scale and cleans” to suit your individual needs. The ideal time frame for routine cleans is every 6 months.
Scale and Clean
A professional clean, also known as a scale and clean, is designed to remove plaque and tartar build up. Plaque is a sticky, almost invisible film that forms on the teeth. It is a growing colony of living bacteria, food debris, and saliva. The bacteria produce toxins that inflame the gums. This inflammation is known as gingivitis which can lead to periodontal disease. Calculus, or tartar is a hard, calcified build-up which can't be removed with brushing and flossing. Calculus is effectively hardened plaque that has been left on the tooth for some time and is now firmly attached to the tooths surface. Calculus builds up in harder to reach areas and especially behind your lower front teeth. It forms above and below the gum line and can only be removed by a dental professional, this is the "scaling" part of a scale and clean. Such regimes will help prevent tooth decay and gum disease. The “cleaning” part comes in when there is staining on your teeth from things such as tea, coffee, red wine and cigarette smoke.
Topical Fluoride Application
Another key to good oral health is fluoride, a mineral that helps prevent tooth decay and can repair teeth. Topical fluorides are applied directly to the tooth enamel. Some examples include fluoride tooth-pastes and mouth washes, as well as fluoride treatments at the dentist. At Kincaid Dental Centre our dentist applies the topical fluoride, a high concentrate fluoride varnish which is painted on to the tooth surface and encouraged between the teeth and gums using floss. After the treatment, you will be asked not to rinse, eat or drink for at least 2 hours to allow the teeth to absorb the fluoride and help repair microscopic carious areas.
