Dental cleanings are one of the most essential things a dental office can do for you and your smile. We offer comfortable and comprehensive dental cleanings in Lafayette, CO, for you and your family.
If you haven’t had a dental cleaning in the past 6 months, we recommend that you schedule an appointment with us for a dental cleaning soon! Call James Martin, DMD, today.
What Happens in a Dental Cleaning?
A dental cleaning is a routine tooth cleaning completed by dental professionals. It removes plaque, tartar, and other buildup on your teeth. Our hygienists use gentle dental tools to clean all areas of your teeth. Cleanings also polish your teeth and have an optional fluoride paste that our hygienists will place on your teeth directly after the cleaning.
Dental cleanings reach places that a toothbrush cannot, and remove buildup that patients can’t remove on their own, even with great at-home hygiene.
Our dental cleanings are gentle and take around 30 minutes to complete. We prioritize your comfort and wellness throughout your visit with our office, whether it be for a cleaning or something else.
How Often Should I Receive a Routine Dental Cleaning?
We recommend dental cleanings, along with a routine dental exam and X-rays, every 6 months. This recommendation comes from the American Dental Association, which has done research on the optimal length between cleanings for the typical American adult.
Putting it off longer can result in permanent damage to your teeth, as plaque can create decay or cavities on your teeth.
When We Recommend Additional Cleanings
Occasionally, certain conditions can lead us to recommend more frequent cleanings. These conditions include:
Pregnancy or Postpartum
Hormonal changes during pregnancy and after childbirth can make gums more sensitive and prone to inflammation or bleeding. More frequent cleanings help manage this increased risk of pregnancy-related gingivitis, support gum health during a time of change, and protect your oral health while your body is adjusting.
Gum Disease
If you have gingivitis or more advanced periodontal disease, plaque and bacteria can build up more quickly below the gumline. Additional cleanings allow us to remove harmful buildup more often, reduce inflammation, and help stabilize your gum health between visits.
Diabetes
Diabetes can affect how your body responds to bacteria and heals, which increases the risk of gum disease. More frequent dental cleanings help control plaque levels, reduce inflammation, and support both your oral health and overall health.
An Aging Smile
As we age, gums may recede, restorations may need closer monitoring, and dexterity for brushing and flossing can change. Additional cleanings allow us to keep a closer eye on your smile, protect exposed tooth roots, and maintain comfort and function over time.
Genetic Tooth Conditions
Some patients are genetically predisposed to weaker enamel, higher cavity risk, or gum issues despite good home care. More frequent cleanings help counteract these risk factors, allowing us to stay proactive and preserve your smile long-term.
The Necessity of Routine Dental Cleanings
Routine dental cleanings play an essential role in protecting your oral health and supporting your overall well-being. Even with consistent brushing and flossing at home, plaque and bacteria naturally build up in areas that are difficult to reach. Professional cleanings remove this buildup before it hardens or begins to affect the health of your teeth and gums, helping your smile stay strong, comfortable, and functional over time.
Dental cleanings also support long-term stability for your entire mouth. By keeping harmful bacteria under control, cleanings reduce the risk of gum inflammation, tooth decay, and bone loss—issues that can quietly progress without obvious symptoms. Maintaining a healthy oral environment allows your teeth to function as they should, supports a comfortable bite, and helps preserve natural teeth for as long as possible.
Experience the Benefits of Routine Cleanings
Routine cleanings provide several important benefits, including:
- Reduced Plaque and Tartar Buildup: Professional cleanings remove hardened deposits that brushing alone cannot eliminate, lowering the risk of cavities and gum disease.
- Healthier Gums: Removing bacteria around the gumline helps reduce inflammation and bleeding, supporting strong, stable gum tissue.
- Long-Term Tooth Preservation: Cleanings help protect enamel and exposed tooth surfaces, reducing wear and preventing avoidable damage.
- Support for Overall Health: A cleaner mouth reduces chronic inflammation, which plays a role in supporting whole-body wellness.
Routine dental cleanings are a proactive way to protect your health and prevent small concerns from becoming more complex. With a focus on precision and long-term care, these visits help you maintain a healthy foundation—so your smile can keep climbing to new heights.
Keep Your Smile Looking Bright
Dental cleanings can do more than keep your smile healthy! They can also mitigate tooth staining and prevent a dull smile caused by plaque buildup. After a dental cleaning, you will notice your smile shining brighter than it did before, and you will feel and look amazing.
If a cleaning isn’t enough to brighten your smile to the level you want, the optimal time to whiten your teeth is right after a dental cleaning.
What a Cleaning From Our Office Looks Like
A dental cleaning from James Martin, DMD, is a simple process. It often looks like this:
- A warm welcome and any necessary check-in paperwork, including gathering insurance information.
- Meeting your hygienist and being assigned your dental cleaning room. We will even give you sunglasses and medical covers to protect your clothes.
- Your teeth being cleaned by our hygienists using our Airflow dental cleaning technology.
- Flossing, during which we can demonstrate essential flossing techniques to you, if we notice bleeding or decay between your teeth.
- Polishing your teeth using a flavored polish paste.
- Optionally, you may have fluoride paste placed onto your teeth at the end of the cleaning.
We recommend that if you receive fluoride, you wait at least 30 minutes to eat and drink after your appointment, and not brush your teeth until the evening of your cleaning.
Often, we pair our dental cleanings with routine dental exams, which should also be completed every 6 months or more. We don’t recommend exams based on insurance schedules, but what will be best for you and your health.
Our Airflow Dental Technology
Airflow dental technology is used during cleanings for a gentler cleaning experience. Instead of using metal dental tools, such as a tooth scraper, this tool uses water and fine powder to clean the surfaces of your teeth.
When we use airflow technology, you may notice less irritation and a cleaner feeling than most traditional cleaning experiences.
Been Putting Off a Cleaning Due to Dental Fears? Try Dental Sedation
We understand that even a simple cleaning can trigger fears or dental phobias, especially if you have had a bad experience at the dentist in the past. If you are struggling with avoiding the dentist, we offer a comforting experience and a no-strings-attached consultation, but we also offer dental sedation to help you relax in the dental chair.
A dental cleaning can be one of the best ways to get started going to the dentist again, because they are short and painless, and don’t require any permanent alteration to your teeth. As a bonus, they are often covered by dental insurance.
Schedule a Routine Cleaning With Us
We love to help our patients in the Lafayette area with their oral health, and dental cleanings are one way we can, for every patient. If you haven’t had a cleaning recently, don’t let that put you off from receiving one now. We are a judgment-free dentist, and we are ready to help you maintain and improve your oral health.
Call today to schedule an appointment with us for a cleaning and exam.
