Teeth cleaning dependent on care of the teeth

Frequency of tooth cleaning is lower, the better the care

07/11/2014

Professional teeth cleaning is an essential part of caries and periodontal disease prophylaxis. How often the teeth should be professionally cleaned depends on how well the teeth are cared for and on the risk of periodontitis (gingivitis). Prof. Dietmar Oesterreich, Vice President of the Federal Dental Association (BZÄK), points this out in an interview with the news agency „dpa“ down.

For well-groomed teeth, professional teeth cleaning should be done once a year
„The more vulnerable a patient is, the higher the frequency of prophylaxis should be. "For patients with severe periodontitis, professional teeth cleaning can make sense four times a year every two years. „The better a patient masters the dental care, the less often the dentist or the prophylaxis assistant has to take action. "According to the BZÄK, around 50 to 70 percent of the population in Germany suffer from periodontal diseases that have a causal connection With medical conditions such as diabetes, the medical benefits of professional teeth cleaning are beyond doubt.

First of all, professional dental cleaning involves "a thorough examination of the dentition by the dentist". Only then should the cleaning be carried out by a specially trained dental assistant. In doing so, "all deposits are removed and the tooth surfaces and interstices cleaned". The procedure usually takes about an hour. In addition to "thorough cleaning, polishing and fluoridation, the focus is also on advising and guiding the optimization of home-based oral hygiene."

Many statutory health insurance companies now pay part of the cost of professional teeth cleaning. Austria advises you to inquire before the treatment at the cash register. The remainder must be worn by the patient as a private service. (Ag)

Picture: Ekaterina Benthin