Patients are becoming increasingly concerned about their oral health. Whether for purely aesthetic reasons or because they realize how important it is to have healthy teeth, patients are visiting dental practices in increasing numbers.
Also, with the emergence of numerous articles, blogs and other sources of information, especially online, patients are reading more and more about the procedures they will have or are interested in.
There is no denying that patients are keen to find out about treatment possibilities, advantages or disadvantages of certain treatments. However, it is sometimes difficult to detect which of the information we find is written by specialists in the field and which is just to mislead them.
It is easy to write and express one’s opinion, so patients should always compare the information found on the internet with that of their doctor in order to reach a common denominator and avoid any conflicts that may arise before, during or at the end of treatment.
Myths about dental cleaning
We will present some of the most common myths that worry patients and make them hesitate to go to the dentist:
Scaling removes a considerable amount of healthy tooth enamel, thus it is harmful to the teeth – this statement is not true because scaling is indicated to maintain the health of the teeth and periodontal structures, which have the role of keeping the tooth immobile, fixed at the level of the dental alveolus.
Tartar is an agglomeration of mineral substances on the tooth, most often occurring near the gum or on the occlusal surface of teeth that do not have an antagonist to make contact. A tooth that is covered with tartar, especially in the area of the junction with the gum or even sub gingivally, may suffer over time due to the damage to the ligament system present in that area.
Tartar, with its hard consistency, can also quite easily, through mechanical trauma, cause significant gingival bleeding. Repeated injury to the gingiva leads to poor healing, with the gingiva receding as a result of scarring.
Thus, the tooth will be uncovered over an increasingly extended portion of its length.
If mechanical trauma is compounded by bacterial contamination, gingival recession develops into periodontal disease, leading to bone damage over time.
Gingival bleeding caused by mechanical trauma from tartar can be treated by simply removing the mineral deposits and establishing a hygiene protocol that is followed seriously by the patient.
On the other hand, once the bone and ligamentous structures supporting the tooth in the socket are damaged, the process is not reversible.
We are thus dealing with the treatment of periodontal disease, but the damaged tooth structure cannot be restored.
In this situation, at best the disease will not progress any further and will remain in a dormant state, not causing further suffering to the patient.
Thus, scaling is indicated for all people, carried out at least once a year.
In people with a basic pH, which is conducive to accelerated mineral deposition, it is recommended to have the teeth removed every six months.
