Why Professional Cleanings Matter
Brushing and flossing do most of the daily work of keeping your teeth healthy, but they can’t remove everything. Over time, plaque hardens into tartar, a rough deposit that can’t be brushed away and that provides a surface for more bacteria to gather. Tartar buildup is a leading contributor to gum disease and decay.
A professional cleaning removes both plaque and tartar, including from areas that are hard to reach at home. Just as importantly, your regular visit gives us a chance to spot early signs of decay, gum problems, or other concerns while they’re still small and easy to treat.
What Is a Dental Bridge?
A dental bridge replaces one or more missing teeth by anchoring a replacement tooth, called a pontic, to the healthy teeth on either side of the gap. Those neighbouring teeth are fitted with crowns that support the bridge.
A bridge does more than fill a space. It restores your ability to chew properly, helps maintain the shape of your face, and keeps the surrounding teeth from drifting out of position, which can happen when a gap is left untreated.
What Happens During a Cleaning
A typical cleaning and checkup visit includes several steps:
Examination
We check your teeth, gums, bite, and the soft tissues of your mouth, and take X-rays when they're needed to see what isn't visible on the surface.
Removing Plaque and Tartar
Using specialized instruments, we carefully remove plaque and tartar from your teeth, including along and just beneath the gumline.
Polishing
We polish your teeth to remove surface stains and leave them smooth and clean.
Fluoride Treatment
Where appropriate, we apply fluoride to help strengthen your enamel and protect against decay. This is a quick, straightforward step and is particularly beneficial for children and patients at higher risk of cavities.
Guidance and Next Steps
We finish by talking through anything we noticed, answering your questions, and offering tips tailored to your mouth. If any treatment is needed, we'll explain your options clearly.
Most cleaning and checkup appointments take under an hour.
What Is Fluoride Treatment?
Fluoride is a mineral that strengthens tooth enamel and helps protect against decay. A professional fluoride treatment applies a concentrated form directly to your teeth, offering more protection than toothpaste alone.
Fluoride treatments are quick and especially useful for children, patients prone to cavities, and anyone at higher risk of decay. We’ll let you know if a fluoride treatment would benefit you.
How Often Should You Have a Cleaning?
For most people, a cleaning and checkup every six months works well. Some patients benefit from more frequent visits, particularly those with a history of gum disease, a higher risk of cavities, or certain health conditions. Others with consistently healthy mouths may be fine with less frequent appointments.
Rather than applying the same schedule to everyone, we’ll recommend an interval that suits your mouth and explain why.
Cleanings and Gum Health
Regular cleanings are one of the most effective ways to prevent gum disease, since removing plaque and tartar keeps your gums healthy. If we notice signs of gum inflammation or disease during your visit, we’ll talk through it and recommend the right level of care, which may include a deeper cleaning below the gumline.
Making Your Cleanings Comfortable
If it’s been a while since your last visit, or if you find cleanings uncomfortable, let us know. Sensitive teeth or tender gums are common, and we can adjust our approach to keep you comfortable. There’s no judgment here about time between visits, only a focus on getting your mouth healthy and keeping it that way.
Cleanings and Your Coverage
Preventive care, including cleanings and exams, is among the treatments most commonly covered by dental insurance, and we offer direct billing to most providers. Shaughnessy Square Dental Centre is also a participating provider for the Canadian Dental Care Plan, which covers preventive and diagnostic services like cleanings and exams for eligible patients.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I get my teeth cleaned?
Most people benefit from a cleaning and checkup every six months. If you have gum disease, a higher risk of cavities, or certain health conditions, we may recommend more frequent visits.
Does a dental cleaning hurt?
Most people find cleanings comfortable. If your gums are inflamed or your teeth are sensitive, you may notice some tenderness, so let us know and we’ll adjust our approach.
What's the difference between a regular cleaning and a deep cleaning?
A regular cleaning removes plaque and tartar from the teeth and along the gumline as part of preventive care. A deep cleaning, called scaling and root planing, goes below the gumline to treat gum disease, and is recommended only when needed.
Is fluoride treatment necessary?
Fluoride helps strengthen enamel and protect against decay. It’s especially beneficial for children and anyone at higher risk of cavities. We’ll let you know whether it would benefit you.
Are cleanings covered by insurance?
Preventive care like cleanings and exams is among the most commonly covered dental services. We offer direct billing to most providers and can check your coverage before your visit.
I haven't been to a dentist in years. Is that a problem?
Not at all. We see patients in this situation regularly and approach it without judgment. We’ll assess where things stand and recommend a plan to get your mouth healthy again.
Book Your Cleaning in Port Coquitlam
Whether you’re due for a routine cleaning or it’s been longer than you’d like, we’d be glad to see you. Request an appointment at Shaughnessy Square Dental Centre, Monday through Saturday.