Prevention—Keeping Your Own Teeth Healthy
How to Keep Your Teeth Healthy and Clean
Why do I need a dental cleaning if I brush my teeth every day? Even if you take good care of your teeth at home, plaque and bacteria can still accumulate in the spaces between your teeth and in your gum pockets. These can lead to future dental problems such as cavities or gum disease. Regular dental cleanings help create the best conditions for long-term dental health.
Perfect Deep Cleaning with AIRFLOW®
AIRFLOW® is a new method of supragingival and subgingival deep dental cleaning. This dental procedure thoroughly removes plaque and stains from the teeth above the gum line. A comfortably tempered mixture of water, air, and a special cleaning salt (sodium carbonate) tailored to the hardness of the teeth removes plaque and stains from the tooth surfaces and from all interdental spaces. The cleaning salt powder is gentle and does not damage either the enamel or the tooth root.
For sensitive patients, this gentle treatment method using AIRFLOW® dental cleaning is particularly suitable, as the powder treatment can be performed with minimal discomfort as part of a preventive care session. In our practice, AIRFLOW® is primarily used for dental cleaning during preventive care and prior to teeth whitening, and it is an important component of periodontal disease treatment. AIRFLOW® has proven effective as a supportive preventive measure for periodontal disease.
How does an AIRFLOW® dental cleaning work?
Upon request, we stain the teeth to make dental plaque visible to both the preventive care specialist and the patient. Next, hard plaque is removed first using a gentle ultrasonic device, warm water, and a scaler. Only then is the powder jet used to remove soft plaque and to clean and polish the tooth surface. We use the EMS Airflow Prophylaxis Master for this procedure. What makes this device special is that professional teeth cleaning is very gentle and, at the same time, very comfortable thanks to the use of warm water.
Before undergoing AIRFLOW® dental cleaning, patients are given a disinfectant mouthwash. Vaseline is applied to the lips to protect them from drying out. The AIRFLOW® nozzle is held just a few millimeters away from the tooth surface and moved in gentle circular motions. The jet of compressed air gently removes dental plaque in a completely painless manner, eliminating the need for anesthesia. At the same time, the mixture of powder and water is suctioned out of the mouth.
To prevent tooth sensitivity after AIRFLOW® treatment, a fluoride product is also applied to the cleaned teeth.
How long does AIRFLOW® treatment take?
The duration of a dental cleaning depends on the number of teeth being treated and the degree of discoloration. As a general guideline, you can expect the cleaning of all teeth in the upper and lower jaws to take about 45–60 minutes. Smokers and patients who frequently drink tea, coffee, or red wine are more prone to severe staining, as are patients with periodontal disease. Those affected can achieve optimal results with AIRFLOW® treatments performed every half to full year.
Professional teeth cleaning at our dental practice in Offenbach results in healthy, shiny, and evenly aligned teeth. You’ll not only enjoy the medical benefits but also appreciate the cosmetic benefits.