WARNING: Here’s What Happens If You Skip Your Dental Cleaning

Why Dental Cleanings Matter 0:00

Have you ever stopped to ask, why do we get dental cleanings every six months? Well, that's a great question and one that we're going to answer today. We're going to go through a few things. We're going to talk about why do we need our teeth cleaned at all? What does that sticky plaque on the teeth do to the rest of us from a health perspective? What you can do at home to keep it off so that your mouth and you can stay well? And where do dentists fit into all of this? Alright, to get started, let's talk about what we are even cleaning off of the teeth.

What Plaque Is and How Cavities Form 0:31

You've probably heard of the term plaque. And what that is, it's not just leftover food or things that have gotten stuck on the teeth. It's actually a film of bacteria. Now that might gross you out a little bit, but there are thousands if not millions of bacteria that live in all of our mouths. There are good bacteria and also troublesome bacteria. That plaque houses some of both. Now, the bacteria that live in that plaque love sugar. In fact, it's their favorite food. And when they consume sugar, it creates acid.

Now, if that acid is against the tooth because it's in the plaque, that can then lead to minerals being pulled from the tooth and That's how cavities start. So we don't want that bacteria-filled plaque sitting on the teeth for very long. We also don't want it filled with bacteria that are really dangerous, that are going to love sugar, that are going to excrete a lot of acid, that are going to lead to tooth decay and gum disease. So the concept is that that bacteria gets on the teeth, it gets sticky, it stays there, and then minerals from your saliva deposit in that, and it gets hard.

Plaque, Tartar, and Whole-Body Health 1:51

This is what we call tartar. When you go to the dentist, that's what we scrape off. We scrape off that hardened plaque that's on your teeth. So if you understand how this works, you might be thinking, If I keep it off myself, do I need to go to the dentist at all? So let's keep going with this a bit. How does that bacterial plaque affect the rest of you, first of all? Well, that bacterial plaque, they actually are swallowed. They get into the gut, they get into the gums. The gums also have blood vessels.

So those bacteria can hitch a ride in the bloodstream and go to other areas in the body. In fact, there is so much research showing the connection between bad bugs in the mouth and problems elsewhere like heart attacks and strokes and diabetes and pregnancy complications. Scores of research showing this connection. So we know these bacteria don't just stay put. We really need to get them under control. And the interesting thing is, is these cities that they live in actually build up about every 30 days.

So you can get them really well cleaned off and then they're gonna be back within about 30 days time with the same bugs that they started with. Unless you work to control this at home. So what can you do? Well, the first thing that I recommend is to make sure that you're actually cleaning your teeth properly. So what do you use to do that?

At-Home Cleaning and Remineralization 3:14

You're going to use a soft bristle toothbrush Either a manual toothbrush or an electric one. I actually don't have a preference as long as you're using it correctly and the teeth are being cleaned. That's the key. A lot of people find that they can do a better, more effective job with an electric toothbrush because it does some of the work for you. So a soft bristle toothbrush with the correct thing on it. What is that correct thing? Absolutely. You want a hydroxyapatite containing tooth care product.

That could be a tooth powder like my tooth powder. That could be a toothpaste like my toothpaste. We also have things like hydroxyapatite mouthwashes and other items that I'm going to explain in just a minute. The key is use something that will clean the teeth, but that will also remineralize or put minerals back where those bacteria pulled them out of the tooth. That's the first step to keep your teeth clean. But you probably already knew that one. So what comes next? There's a few other things that you can add.

I talked about the mouthwash. So I have a mouthwash and a toothpaste and mints that all contain a product called Protectin. This is a really interesting product. What it does is it puts a sugar shield almost on bad bacteria so they can no longer eat the sugars that are in your mouth. What does this do? Well, it starves them out. So you're really starving out all the bad guys. But it also has prebiotics that feed the good bacteria and allow them to utilize proteins better. So it encourages good bacterial growth while killing off bad bacteria.

Honestly, this is like a miraculous ingredient.

Protectin, Xylitol, and Fighting Bad Bacteria 4:54

That's why I've included it in so many things. So please check out the Gum Health Plus Remineralization Mouthwash, check out the Remineralization Toothpaste, and our Remins Remineralizing Breathmints. All of them have protectin in them, which is going to literally protect your teeth from bacteria. It's not going to allow them to grow. It's amazing. The other thing that's in a lot of my products that people wonder about is xylitol. They say, why have you put that in there? Well, first of all, it makes things taste good, but xylitol also starves out the bad bacteria.

So these are all things that can help prevent that plaque buildup from even building up to begin with. This is going to help, obviously, right? Less to build up, less to clean off when you go to the dentist. So where does the dentist come in here? Do you still need to see the dentist? The answer is yes, because we're not just looking at that. We're not just cleaning your teeth. Sure, we are doing that at your visit. We want to make sure that there's no bacteria and plaque and tartar hanging out in places that you can't find.

And honestly, I do a really, really great job of cleaning my teeth. I'm a dentist and I'm kind of obsessive about this, but there's always a little bit here and there that my hygienists are able to find and clean off for me. So it is important that we clean the nooks and the crannies in places that you can't get to. The other things that we look at when you're at the dental office have nothing to do with the cleaning. There are things like cavities. Do you have any tooth decay? Are all of your dental restorations holding up like they should?

Do you have signs like worn teeth or gum recession that indicate other problems?

Why You Still Need the Dentist 6:30

Maybe sleep and airway issues or the way your bite fits together. There's a lot of things that we're looking at, not just cleaning your teeth. So yes, you do still need to come and visit the dentist. If you're doing a great job and there's not a lot to clean off, then maybe you can actually stretch that to once a year rather than every six months. But you have the power at home to take care of these bacteria, this plaque, and to keep your mouth healthy all on your own with a little bit of help from us as well using the products that we've talked about.

Make sure you're looking for hydroxyapatite. You're looking for things like protectin. Xylitol, things that will starve the bacteria out and encourage good bacteria to grow. So you're protected, your body's healthy, your mouth's healthy, and everything stays healthy top to bottom. These are the little pieces that will help you to stay well. If you have questions, please drop them below. Make sure to subscribe for more information just like this and check out our products at livingwellofdrmichelle.com.