Dental Cleanings

Preventative Dental Care

Dental cleanings are recommended as a regular part of preventative dental care. Cleanings are performed by a licensed dental hygienist or a dentist to remove plaque, tartar, and stains from the teeth. Routine dental cleanings will reduce the risk of severe dental decay, gum disease, bad breath, and more.

Unfortunately, many people avoid visiting the dentist for annual cleanings and examinations, assuming that they are unnecessary. We cannot stress enough how important regular dental cleanings and examinations are to maintain proper oral health and prevent painful, often costly dental work. 

Gunnell Family Dentistry specializes in smarter dental cleanings! Using our modern technology and dental education, we focus on helping our patients fully understand their oral health. We create custom patient treatment plans designed with your specific oral health needs in mind. Each patient will have a clear understanding of their current oral health status and we will discuss future dental health needs like tooth extractions, braces, root canals, dental crowns, and more. We want to make maintaining your oral health as easy as possible!

What is Involved in a Dental Cleaning?

When you visit our Logan, UT dental office, you can expect to spend about an hour or less in the office for your cleaning. We work quickly and efficiently to clean your teeth. Depending upon the amount of tartar and build-up on the teeth, it could take longer to clean the teeth and gums properly. Here is the process of what you can expect during your dental cleaning and examination visit;

• Examination of the teeth, gums, and jaw (recommended every 6 months)
• X-rays (depending upon when your last x-rays were taken)
• Cleaning of the teeth
• Polishing of the teeth
• Flossing 
• Gum disease screening (Periodontal gum probing to check for gum recession)
• Fluoride treatments (**not required for all patients)

Missing Dental Cleanings Will Lead to Problems

Regular cleanings are designed to detect and prevent issues. Failure to have your teeth cleaned regularly increases the risk of the following oral health problems;

• Cavities – tartar and plaque build-up around the teeth and gums, increasing the risk of cavities and tooth decay. Tartar and plaque need to be professionally removed because it is nearly impossible for patients to remove them on their own. 
• Gum disease – tartar and plaque often build up around the gum line, causing the gums to become swollen and inflamed. Bacteria and food start increasing gum disease problems, leading to bleeding, and can lead to bone loss if it is not reversed quickly. Annual teeth cleanings can drastically reduce the risk of gum disease. 
• Tooth loss – failure to maintain proper oral health can lead to tooth loss. Plaque, tartar, and bacteria can create infected pockets around a tooth, causing severe pain and tooth loss. 
• Bad breath – without cleaning the teeth and gums properly, patients can start to see bad breath problems. Bacteria can stain the teeth and remain trapped below the gums, which causes bad breath that is impossible to cover up with breath enhancing products like gum or mints.

We have helped thousands of patients take back control over their oral health, and enjoy sharing their smiles again. Browse through our galleries of patient treatments to see how our team has been able to help patients restore their smiles!

We work closely with our patients to make caring for your oral health as easy as possible. If we detect problems, we will discuss treatment options and schedule appointments for proper dental work in a timely manner. Most dental insurance companies will pay for two dental cleanings yearly to help prevent serious dental problems. If there is additional work, our staff will help you understand dental costs to make sure you are able to receive the best dental treatments you need for your oral health!

If you need a dental cleaning or have any questions, please contact Gunnell Family Dentistry today in Logan at 435-294-3505!