What Happens if You Skip Dental Scaling and Cleaning? Potential Risks

When life gets busy, it’s easy to push aside dental appointments, especially routine ones like scaling and cleaning.

But have you ever considered what happens if you skip these essential dental visits? Dental scaling and cleaning might seem minor, but neglecting them can lead to serious oral health issues.

The Importance of Dental Scaling and Cleaning

Dental scaling is cleaning your teeth of plaque and tartar, or hardened plaque, particularly in places that are difficult to reach with routine brushing and flossing. By polishing your teeth, you can get rid of surface stains and restore the sensation of cleanliness to your smile.

These procedures are not just about maintaining a sparkling smile; they’re critical for oral health. Even with the best at-home treatment, it is practically hard to remove all the plaque and tartar on your own. That’s where your dental professional comes in, using specialised tools to ensure your teeth and gums are as healthy as possible.

What Happens When You Skip Dental Scaling and Cleaning?

It’s easy to assume that missing one or two cleanings won’t cause much harm, but neglecting these routine procedures can have long-term consequences.

Plaque and Tartar Buildup

A sticky layer of germs called plaque is continuously building up on teeth. If plaque is not eliminated by routine brushing, flossing, and professional cleaning, it solidifies into tartar, which can only be eliminated by a dentist. Tartar buildup looks unsightly and creates a breeding ground for more bacteria. This can eventually result in gum disease, cavities, and other severe dental problems.

When you skip dental scaling and cleaning, you’re allowing plaque and tartar to accumulate unchecked. The longer you go without professional cleaning, the more challenging it becomes to remove this buildup, raising the chances of gum disease and tooth decay.

Increased Risk of Gum Disease

Gum disease is a vice that commences with gingivitis, the inflammation of the gum. But if ignored, it progresses to the other stages and causes other problems, such as gum shrinkage, loss of jawbone density, and tooth loss. The first level of gum disease is said to be ignited by ligands or the formation of plaque and tartar along the gum line of teeth.

Without regular dental cleanings, you’re giving gum disease a chance to develop and worsen. Early signs of gum diseases are when gums are red and swollen and sometimes bleeding on probing. If you notice any of these symptoms, it’s crucial to seek professional care immediately. When such problems are not effectively treated, they give rise to much worse ones requiring more aggressive, time-consuming, and costly treatment.

Tooth Decay

Tooth decay is another significant risk of skipping dental scaling and cleaning. It is a thin coat in the form of a gel containing the known strains of bacteria that produce acidic byproducts that demineralise the enamel of your teeth. This leads to cavities that progress further if not treated, resulting in sensitivity, infection, a root canal, or extraction.

Regular cleanings help remove plaque and tartar, reducing the risk of cavities and keeping teeth strong and healthy. Skipping these appointments increases the likelihood of tooth decay, which may trigger additional oral health issues.

Bad Breath (Halitosis)

Halitosis, or bad breath, is frequently brought on by oral bacteria accumulation and inadequate dental hygiene. When you skip dental cleanings, you allow plaque, tartar, and bacteria to accumulate, leading to unpleasant odours that can be difficult to mask.

Regular scaling and cleaning help keep your breath fresh by removing the sources of bad odour. Missing these visits might result in persistent foul breath, which can be unpleasant and lower your self-esteem in social settings.

Stained Teeth

Frequent brushing and flossing can help keep your smile bright, but they cannot wholly erase surface stains from your teeth. Dental cleanings include polishing, which helps remove surface stains caused by coffee, tea, wine, and other staining agents.

By skipping dental cleanings, you’re allowing these stains to set in, leading to a dull or yellowed appearance over time. Regular polishing can help maintain a brighter, more attractive smile, but if you miss these appointments, you might notice your teeth becoming more discoloured.

Systemic Health Issues

It is also important to remember that your oral health is very much connected with your general health. Scientific evidence suggests that gum disease is linked to other traditional systemic health complications, such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and respiratory illnesses. Some health problems that may be caused or worsened by inflammation and bacteria from gum disease include these.

You risk your oral and overall health by skipping dental scaling and cleaning. Regular dental care is crucial to maintaining overall well-being, but neglecting it can have far-reaching consequences.

How to Get Back on Track

If it’s been a while since your last dental scaling and cleaning, it’s never too late to get back on track. Here’s how you can take control of your oral health:

• Schedule an Appointment: The first step is to schedule a dental cleaning with your dentist. Let them know it’s been a while since your last visit so they can tailor the treatment to your needs.
• Commit to Regular Visits: Moving forward, commit to regular dental visits. Most people benefit from a cleaning every six months, but if your oral health requires more frequent visits, your dentist might advise this.
• Enhance Your Oral Hygiene Routine: Between visits, make sure you’re brushing at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and flossing daily. To help lessen plaque and bacteria, think about using an antimicrobial mouthwash.
• Address Dental Concerns: If you’re experiencing any dental issues, such as pain, sensitivity, or bleeding gums, don’t wait to address them. Future problems that are more severe can be avoided with early intervention.

Dental Scale and Clean in Gordon

Your oral health is too important to neglect. Skipping dental scaling and cleaning may seem harmless in the short term, but the long-term risks are significant. You protect your teeth, gums, and overall health by prioritising regular dental visits.

At Northern Dental Gordon, we are not just here to treat your dental problems; we want to make your visit a positive and worthwhile experience and help you maintain oral health for years.

So, why wait? Schedule your next dental cleaning today and start your journey to a healthier, brighter smile.

Call us at (02) 9498 8290 or book an appointment online.

We are located at Suite 3, 2 St Johns Ave in Gordon.