Periodic Dental Cleanings are Essential for Your Oral Health
Why do I Even Need a Dental Cleaning?
By getting regular dental cleaning at our office in Fort Collins, we can help to remove this buildup of plaque and tartar and keep your mouth healthy.
What to Expect from Dental Cleanings at our Fort Collins Dentistry
Dental Cleaning Process
Your Dental Care Habits & Status
Remove any plaque and tartar from your teeth with a scaler
To remove plaque and tartar from your teeth, your hygienist will use an air flow and/or periodontal scaler. These devices are used to remove tartar from above and below the gum line. The scaler is placed on/near the tooth to loosen and remove tartar/stain. Where the air flow is a less sensitive technique used to remove, loosen tarter and stain with the highest standards of performance, safety and comfort in mind. Your hygienist will likely use a combination of both during your dental cleaning.
Flossing Your Teeth
Dental Exam
Fluoride Treatment
Dental Visit Wrap Up
Dental Deep Cleanings
Dental exams are used to identify potential early stage gum disease (gingivitis) or the more advanced periodontitis. A dental deep cleaning may be required if you’re showing signs of gum disease. Our dentist Dr. Murphy may point out these signs of gum disease that may require a deep cleaning:
- Gum tissue that bleed easily
- Red, swollen, or tender gums
- Gums that have pulled away from your teeth
- Persistent bad breath
- Pus between your gums and teeth
Dental Cleanings: Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Does a Dental Cleaning Take?
In most cases, you can count on around 30-45 minutes for a dental cleaning. If you're also having a dental exam or other dental procedures, you'll want to allow for at least an hour.
The length of a teeth cleaning is dependent on the severity of the build-up on your teeth. If you have heavy tartar buildup, it will take longer to remove. If the tartar buildup is severe enough, it may even require more than one cleaning session.
Deep Dental cleanings (described below) are required if you have gum disease and will take significantly longer than a regular dental cleaning.
How Often Do I Need to Get a Dental Cleaning?
Most people need a dental cleaning semi-annually. Due to genetics, diet, and hygiene habits, there are some people who have less aggressive plaque buildup than others who may need to come in a bit less frequently. There are others who accumulate plaque and tartar buildup more quickly - these people may need to come in a bit more often. Our staff can advise you on the frequency of your dental cleaning - but the overwhelming majority of patients should come in to our Fort Collins dentistry for a routine cleaning every six months.
How Much Does a Dental Cleaning Cost?
Many insurance plans will completely cover the cost of at least one dental cleaning per year, and oftentimes two dental cleanings. We accept most insurance at Murphy Dental - check out our insurance page for more information. There, you should be able to find our general insurance policies and information about your insurance carrier.
We have the Murphy Dental in-house insurance plan that offers reasonably priced payment options and terms if you don't have dental insurance. We also accept care credit financing.
The actual cost of a dental cleaning will vary based on the type of dental cleaning that you require. Our dental office front desk staff can help you with the details.
Dental Cleaning Articles
As a service to our patients, we write about the services that we provide on a regular basis. Below are our articles related to dental cleanings. If you’re interested in learning more about dental cleanings and how we make dental cleanings as quick and pain free as possible, contact our office.
