Oral prophylaxis, in standard terms, is called “professional cleaning of teeth.” It is a procedure where your dental hygienist uses ultrasonic or hand scalers to remove the plaque and tartar buildup on teeth and help you maintain oral hygiene. Let’s get into details about the perks of getting your teeth professionally cleaned below. WHAT IS PLAQUE, TARTAR, OR CALCULUS? Plaque is a biofilm stuck to teeth. It is made up of bacteria, saliva, and food particles. When left untreated, this plaque calcifies to form tartar (also called CALCULUS), which is very difficult to remove with brushing alone. Brushing alone doesn’t help us eliminate all the plaque and tartar on teeth. Not all of the food particles that we consume are cleaned away by saliva. Some of it remains stuck to the teeth along with other components to form a layer called plaque. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN PLAQUE REMAINS? When plaque stays on the tooth surface, it attracts more and more bacteria and minerals to it. This leads to the following phenomena: ● Redness of gums ● Swelling of gums ● Bleeding from gums ● Pus oozing from gums ● Bad breath ● Gum level recedes ● Loss of bone around tooth structure ● Mobility of teeth ● Eventually, teeth fall out Hence it is imperative to ensure that plaque is not accumulated around the tooth. So professional help is needed at this point, where a dental hygienist or a dentist professionally cleans your teeth. 

WHAT IS PROFESSIONAL TEETH CLEANING? Professional teeth cleaning is done by a professional dental hygienist or dentist as per requirement. Professional teeth cleaning has the following steps: ● Intraoral examination ● Scaling and root planing ● Polishing teeth ● Mouth rinse Intraoral examination: The dental hygienist examines your mouth with a mirror and probe to determine if oral conditions like gingivitis are present and to assess the amount of calculus or plaque present. If bleeding from gums is severe, extra care is taken to rule out systemic diseases, and additional appointments are scheduled. Scaling and root planing: Scaling is done with specialized tools like ultrascalers. If calculus is on the teeth roots, then planing is done with instruments called “curettes.” The time this process takes depends on the amount of calculus present.  Polishing teeth: Teeth polishing is done following ultrascaling of teeth. A prophylactic paste is used, similar to regular toothpaste. This paste is dispensed on a small rubber cup called a prophy cup and gently rubbed on the tooth to remove stains or plaque. Mouth rinse: After your teeth have been polished, the dental hygienist asks you to rinse with a mouth wash, usually a chlorhexidine mouthwash. Special conditions require other kinds of mouthwashes, such as betadine, which will be determined by your dentist. IS PROPHYLAXIS A DEEP CLEANING? Dental prophylaxis, commonly called a prophy, is a procedure that includes polishing the teeth to remove bacteria adhered to the teeth and beneath the gum line. A prophy is usually performed twice per year, or every six months, to maintain healthy gums and teeth. A deep cleaning is needed when the level of bacteria and plaque beneath the gum line is higher than average and causes irritation of the gums. A deep cleaning can stop the progression of periodontal disease before it advances to this level. Deep cleaning visits are generally scheduled more frequently – approximately every three months – to maintain periodontal health.

HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU HAVE PROPHYLAXIS? Dentists usually recommend oral prophylaxis twice every year for people with good oral hygiene. However, the requirement for dental prophylaxis depends upon patients’ diagnoses. A person with chronic generalized periodontitis or deep gum disease needs professional teeth cleaning more often than a person with good oral health. Do consult your dentist to discuss this. WHY DO TEETH FEEL WEIRD AFTER CLEANING? In severe gum recession or diseases, it is the tartar that clings to teeth and binds the loose teeth firmly to gums. Once the tartar is removed, teeth may feel a little loose for a week. It is a common phenomenon. Do not worry and consult your dentist if they are wobbly even after a week. WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF GETTING ORAL PROPHYLAXIS? ● Keeps gums in good health ● Removes debris, plaque, tartar ● Makes teeth white and shiny ● Removes bad breath ● Removes teeth stains It is recommended that you get your teeth professionally cleaned at least once every 6 months, in addition to regular oral hygiene practices like brushing teeth twice daily with fluoridated toothpaste and flossing once a day. Remember, dentistry is not expensive, but your neglect is. So visit your dentist regularly to keep your pearly whites clean.