Teeth Cleaning La Jolla
If you’re looking for a highly experienced dentist who provides routine dental exams and cleanings to complex restorative and cosmetic dentistry procedures—look no further!
After graduating with High Honors from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry, Dr. Sabourin had the privilege of completing an American Dental Association-accredited general practice residency at the Veteran’s Administration Medical Center.
Since starting professional practice in 1987, Dr. Sabourin has helped countless patients maintain or restore their oral health and achieve happy, healthy smiles that stand the test of time.
Complementing Dr. Sabourin’s decades of expertise, our dental hygienists have extensive experience helping patients maintain healthy teeth with regular professional teeth cleanings.
When you schedule a dental cleaning in La Jolla, you’ll enjoy our relaxing, spa-like setting and amenities including blankets, in-visit TVs, and soothing music.
Although we love when patients follow proper oral hygiene at home, only professional teeth cleaning removes harmful dental calculus (tartar). Preventive care including a thorough oral exam and dental cleaning is the best way to ensure your teeth and gums stay healthy!
Why Are Dental Cleanings Important?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 26% of adults in the U.S. have untreated tooth decay and more than 50% of teenagers in the U.S. aged 12 to 19 have at least one cavity.
Furthermore, an estimated 46% of adults aged 30 years or older have some degree of periodontal disease. If left untreated, cavities and gum disease lead to tooth loss and a wide array of associated quality-of-life issues.
Plaque is a colorless and sticky film of bacteria and sugars that constantly forms on your teeth. Although you can’t see it, significant plaque build-up can be felt by rubbing your tongue across the surface of your teeth. Plaque grows quickly and when it isn’t adequately removed through twice-a-day brushing and daily flossing, it can harden and turn into tartar.
Dental tartar causes cavities, bleeding gums, and early gum disease (gingivitis). If left untreated, gingivitis can develop into periodontitis. When inflammation in soft tissues spreads to the bone that supports your teeth, they can loosen and even fall out. In fact, advanced gum disease is the number one cause of tooth loss in adults. Unlike plaque, tartar can only be removed with special tools during your dental cleaning in San Diego.
Many dental problems such as cavities, gum disease, and oral cancer may not be obvious or cause pain until they’re in more advanced stages, which is another reason why it’s important to schedule routine professional dental care with Dr. Sabourin!
The Dental Cleaning Procedure
If you’re a new patient scheduling a dental cleaning at our practice, you’ll receive a comprehensive oral exam including digital X-rays, a medical and dental history review, and gum disease and oral cancer screenings.
Then you’ll be introduced to one of our skilled dental hygienists who will gently clean your teeth. If you have particularly sensitive teeth, a local numbing injection is available prior to getting your teeth cleaned.
The first step is scaling to remove plaque and tartar, including from hard-to-reach areas, such as between your teeth and gum line. We’ll rinse out your mouth periodically with water irrigation and then suction it away with a tube.
After your teeth are completely tartar-free, we’ll floss your teeth. If you have any dental bridges, we use a special flosser to remove any food debris that may have lodged under your bridge. Then we brush and polish your teeth with a high-powered electric brush and toothpaste, available in several different flavors. Polishing the surface of your teeth helps prevent bacteria and plaque from adhering to it.
Routine dental exams and cleaning are generally quick and free of complications. You’ll likely be in and out of our office within 45 minutes to an hour.
Additional Preventive Procedures
After a dental cleaning, we may recommend fluoride treatment. Fluoride supports healthy tooth enamel and fights harmful bacteria that attack your teeth and gums. The American Dental Association recommends a professional fluoride treatment every three to 12 months, depending on your oral health. This is especially important for younger children who may not have developed a rigorous enough daily oral hygiene routine.
Dental sealants applied to the chewing surfaces of teeth help prevent bacteria from infiltrating deep pits or grooves. This is a particularly good option for children because it takes just a few minutes to apply and can provide protection from bacteria and decay for up to 10 years.
How Often Should You Get Your Teeth Cleaned?
For optimal health, we recommend scheduling a dental cleaning in San Diego a minimum of every six months. If you have gum disease, Dr. Sabourin advises getting a deeper teeth cleaning called scaling and root planing at three to four-month intervals. A local anesthetic is used to numb your gums and roots of your teeth, along with another form of sedation, if you need it.
This two-part deep cleaning involves removing plaque and tartar above and below your gum line, down to the bottom of the pockets. During root planing, the roots are smoothed to enable gums to reattach to your teeth.
In addition, you may need to schedule an oral exam and get teeth cleaned more often if you have existing oral health concerns or risk factors that increase the likelihood of developing dental disease.
Risk factors include a diet high in sugar and refined carbohydrates, poor oral habits, lack of exposure to fluoridated water, smoking or other tobacco use, heavy alcohol or recreational drug use, and medical conditions including diabetes, Sjögren’s syndrome, and head and neck cancers.
Schedule Your Consultation Today
While we encourage you to follow excellent oral hygiene habits at home, it’s important that you visit us regularly for checkups and professional cleanings. This helps prevent issues and enables us to detect dental disease in early stages. Our team is dedicated to providing the guidance and dental care you and your family need to enjoy healthy teeth and gums for years to come.
Protect your smile and oral health by scheduling a dental cleaning appointment today!
