Scaling and Planing 101

There are a lot of different things you can do to your teeth to help them stay in great shape. Brushing, flossing, and mouthwash use are the most effective things to do at home. Even then, you still need to have some professional procedures performed to keep your mouth in good shape.

One of those procedures is called scaling and planing. This is an activity performed when you visit any dentists. Let’s go through that process for a few moments.

What is it?
 

At its most basic, scaling and planing is simply the process of removing tartar from around your gum line. When you don’t get rid of plaque, it hardens and turns into tartar. This substance is essentially a breeding ground for harmful bacteria. Tartar buildup is one of the most common causes of oral health problems that Dr. Christian Berdy and Dr. Cary Berdy see.

How does it work?
 

Scaling and planing are really simple. When you come into Berdy Dental Group in Jacksonville, Florida, our team will scale and plane your teeth before cleaning. All of the tartar around your gums will be scraped away, leaving you with a healthy, fresh smile

Why can’t I do it?
 

Tartar is a hard substance, and if you try to remove it at home, you could seriously injure your gums. On top of that, it takes a specialized training to effectively and safely remove tartar. We have a lot of experience doing this in a comfortable, relaxing way.

To learn more, or to make an appointment, call us today at (904) 647-2789.

Toothbrush Trivia

How often do you use your toothbrush? Hopefully it’s at least two times a day. You may have looked at it so many times, though, that you hardly even think about it anymore. They are an object that has been in your life, probably since you can remember. You may even think you know all there is about your toothbrush, but today we’d like to give you some fun trivia facts about them.

The toothbrush may be 5,000 years old. It may have been in different forms, but in some ancient civilizations, people used a “chew stick,” which was a thin twig with a frayed end, to help them remove food that was stuck in their teeth.

The first mass-produced toothbrush was created in prison. In 1770, William Addis was jailed for starting a riot when he observed the other prisoners cleaning their teeth with a rag covered in soot or salt. He saved an animal bone from dinner, got bristles from a guard, bored tiny holes, inserted the bristles and sealed them with glue. Upon his release, he refined his prototype and started a company.

There isn’t a set order for brushing and flossing. It may not really matter to your teeth which you do first, so long as you are doing it.

Your toothbrush’s lifespan may be three or four months. After that, your brush might not be able to do as great of a job at cleaning your teeth and it should be replaced.

If you would like to know more about dental hygiene and you live near Jacksonville, Florida, please call Berdy Dental Group today to schedule an appointment at (904) 647-2789. Drs. Christian and Cary Berdy, and our friendly team members, would be happy to help you have a bright and healthy smile.