Dahle Family Dentistry

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Dahle Family Dentistry

Dahle Family Dentistry > Services > Cleanings and Oral Hygiene

Teeth cleanings with an experienced hygienist are the easiest way to protect your smile from gum disease and the damage it causes.

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Cleanings and Oral Hygiene

Our amazing team of dental hygienists at Dahle Family Dentistry love sharing their passion for healthy smiles with our patients. With expert teeth cleanings every six months, they remove harmful plaque and tartar buildup to keep your teeth and gums healthy.

What Happens during a Teeth Cleaning?

We recommend teeth cleanings every six months for most patients. However, we will personalize your hygiene schedule for your individual needs, which may mean more or less frequent cleanings to maintain healthy teeth and gums.

Our skilled and experienced hygienists are gentle and thorough and perform the following during your cleanings:

Evaluate your gum health and check for signs of gum disease
Clean your teeth by removing plaque and tartar buildup
Review with you any areas you're missing with your at-home hygiene routine
Explain and demonstrate proper brushing and flossing techniques
Recommend toothpaste, toothbrushes, or special types of floss to ensure your teeth are thoroughly clean.
Review your dietary habits and explain how they affect your teeth and gums.

Maintaining excellent oral health requires a team effort, and we're with you every step to ensure happy, healthy smiles that last a lifetime!

How Gum Disease Affects Your Health

Gum disease is highly preventable for most people, yet statistics show that it affects as many as 50 percent of US adults over age 30. Without treatment, gum disease—also called periodontal disease—can progress rapidly.

Untreated gum disease threatens your oral health and puts your overall health and wellness at risk. Significant research has linked gum disease to health conditions like heart and respiratory disease, diabetes, stroke, dementia, and many others.

What Is Periodontal Disease?

Plaque and tartar buildup is filled with bacteria that cause inflammation or infection of surrounding gum tissue. Gum disease can rapidly progress to the advanced form without treatment, leading to gum recession and loss of supporting bone and tissue. Without support, teeth can become loose and may need to be removed.

Periodontal disease is widespread because its symptoms may be so mild that you don't notice them. For this reason, a dental cleaning is often how many patients first learn they have gum disease. However, staying a step ahead of it is easier when you're aware of the symptoms:

Gums that bleed when you brush
Gums that look swollen, puffy, or inflamed
Bad breath that won't go away with mouthwash
Spaces between your teeth and gums
Teeth that feel loose
Gum recession
A change in the way your teeth feel

If you notice these signs of gum disease, please call and schedule an appointment with a hygienist so they can check it out.

How Do You Treat Gum Disease?

The gum disease treatment we recommend depends on how far it has advanced. Early gum disease is called gingivitis and is reversible if we catch it soon enough. To treat gingivitis, your hygienist will provide a thorough cleaning and review how an improved oral hygiene routine can help you avoid plaque and tartar buildup.

Advanced gum disease is called periodontitis, where the infection targets the structures that hold your teeth in place. Periodontitis is not reversible, and your hygienist would recommend a deep cleaning called scaling and root planing to help prevent it from progressing. You will also require frequent cleanings and treatment to keep periodontitis under control.

Schedule a Teeth Cleaning Appointment

Prompt treatment for gum disease is crucial to avoid problems like gum recession and tooth loss. As a bonus, a healthy mouth that's free of chronic infections may also help you avoid serious health conditions.

If you are due for your next teeth cleaning or have any gum disease symptoms listed above, please call our Treasure Valley dental office to schedule an appointment. We are pleased to serve patients in all surrounding areas in Idaho and Oregon, including Fruitland, Vale, Nyssa, Payette, New Plymouth, and Weiser.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are brushing and flossing so important?

Regularly brushing and flossing your teeth is important because it removes plaque and tartar buildup.

Plaque is a sticky bacteria-filled film that builds up on your teeth from the foods and drinks you consume. Tartar is a buildup of hardened plaque that clings to your teeth.

A plaque and tartar buildup can cause cavities, early gum disease called gingivitis, and even advanced gum disease. Unfortunately, you can't remove tartar—also called calculus—with your brush and floss.

Only a dental hygienist can remove it using specialized instruments that protect your teeth and gums. This is why it's essential to pair your oral hygiene efforts with professional teeth cleanings at our Ontario, OR, dental office every six months.

Brush Twice a Day, Floss Once

Dahle Family Dentistry follows the guideline issued by the American Dental Association. That is, to brush at least twice a day for two minutes and floss once. Along with routine teeth cleanings, at-home oral hygiene goes a long way toward minimizing plaque and tartar buildup.

Of course, how well you brush and floss is as crucial as how often you brush. During your teeth cleanings, your hygienist will show you the proper techniques to ensure you get the most out of your efforts.

Schedule Your Next Dental Cleaning with Us

If you're worried because it's been a while since your last teeth cleaning, we don't judge! We will help you get back into a routine and work with you to ensure your healthy smile stays that way.

Call us at (541) 881-1794, so we can help you schedule a convenient appointment.

Meet Our Doctors:

Dr. Eric Dahle

Dr. Eric Dahle attended Brigham Young University for his undergraduate studies. With a lifelong goal to become a dentist, he attended Oregon Health Sciences University School of Dentistry, graduating in 1989 as the top student ...

Dr. Daniel Dahle

Dr. Daniel Dahle loves creating long-lasting family relationships with our patients, helping them overcome dental anxiety, watching them improve their oral health, and seeing the change in their self-confidence. He values our amazing staff and ...

Cleanings and Oral Hygiene Technology

Intraoral Cameras

It can be difficult to look in a little hand mirror and see what your dentist sees during a dental exam, so instead, we use intraoral cameras. These small handheld digital cameras deliver magnified images of your mouth while your dentist performs your examination.

Using the intraoral camera, our team shares images with you on the monitor, so you can see what we see. We can show you issues like cavities, damaged or worn teeth, and old or broken fillings.

As you review the images together, your dentist can explain why treating the problem is important, how it will benefit you, and what's involved. After treatment is complete, we can show you the results so you can see the improvement in your smile. We can also store images of the session in your digital patient record for future reference.

SEE OUR TECHNOLOGY

Teeth Cleaning in Ontario, OR, for Healthy Smiles!

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