Teeth Cleaning
Plaque hardens into tartar within about two days, and once it does, no amount of brushing removes it. A professional cleaning takes off what your toothbrush cannot reach, which is why this appointment does more for your teeth than almost anything else you can book.
Teeth cleaning in Northridge, CA
There are two different procedures that both get called "a cleaning," and they are not interchangeable. Which one you need depends on the health of your gums, not on preference or budget.
Regular cleaning
A prophylaxis cleaning, for patients whose gums are healthy. Our hygienists work above the gumline and just below the gum margin.
- Scaling to remove plaque and tartar
- Polishing to smooth the tooth surface
- Flossing and a final rinse
- Usually done in one visit, no anesthetic
Deep cleaning
Also called scaling and root planing. This goes below the gumline to remove bacteria and buildup from the root surfaces where periodontal disease lives.
- Cleans beneath the gumline, along the roots
- Smooths root surfaces so gums can reattach
- Often split across two visits, by half of the mouth
- Local anesthetic used to keep you comfortable
If a deep cleaning is recommended, it is because measurements taken during your exam showed pocket depths that a regular cleaning cannot reach. Our periodontists are in this same office, so if your gums need ongoing specialist care after that, it happens here rather than somewhere else.
Keeping it clean between visits
A cleaning resets things. What you do over the following months determines how much there is to remove next time.
Brush twice, but gently
Two minutes, twice a day, with a soft-bristled brush at a slight angle toward the gumline. Scrubbing hard wears enamel and pushes gums back, which causes its own problems.
Floss is not optional
The surfaces between your teeth are where cavities most often start, and a brush cannot reach them. If traditional floss is awkward, picks or a water flosser are far better than skipping it.
Watch the frequency, not just the sugar
Sipping a sweetened drink over an hour is harder on teeth than drinking it in five minutes. Each exposure restarts the acid attack, so how often matters as much as how much.
Bleeding gums mean something
Gums that bleed during brushing or flossing are inflamed, not just sensitive. If it continues past a week of consistent care, that is worth having looked at rather than working around.
At the end of each cleaning, our hygienists will point out the specific spots where buildup is collecting for you and suggest what would help. That advice is worth more than any general guidance, because it is based on what your mouth is actually doing.
Frequently asked questions about teeth cleaning
Also called scaling and root planing, it is recommended when gum disease is present. It removes bacteria and buildup from below the gumline and smooths the root surfaces so the gum tissue can reattach, which a regular cleaning cannot do.
Most patients tolerate it well. Local anesthetic is used to keep you comfortable during the procedure, and any mild sensitivity afterward is typically temporary and settles within a few days.
Once plaque hardens into tartar, brushing cannot remove it. Tartar forms fastest in spots that are hard to reach thoroughly, particularly behind the lower front teeth. Good home care slows buildup considerably, but it does not eliminate the need for professional removal.
It removes surface stains from coffee, tea, and similar sources, so teeth often look brighter afterward. It does not change the underlying color of the tooth. For that you would want whitening, which works best on freshly cleaned teeth.
Every six months suits most patients. If you have gum disease or build up tartar quickly, three to four months is often recommended instead. We will tell you which applies to you based on what we actually see.
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