“Is a teeth cleaning by a dentist necessary?”

This is somewhat variable. I have a few patients on a once-a-year schedule. I have 20% of my patients on every 3 or 4 months. Most people need a cleaning every 6 months. You can't get all the crud off your teeth yourself.

Yes it is. Even when brushing or flossing, your gums have pockets that are difficult to reach with just brushing and flossing

Yes, cleaning your teeth twice a day and flossing daily is commendable, but still need to get a cleaning from your dentist or hygienist to remove any tart or calculus build up below and above the gum line.

Yes

Yes because after a while the soft plaque can harden and become hard (calculus ) which is tenacious and requires scaling it off with an instrument !

It is outstanding that you are doing the minimum suggested amount of brushing and flossing. In order to give you an idea of what is going on when you go to the dentist for a prophylaxis treatment here are a few questions to consider: When you brush how do you see the back of your mouth? Do you have X-rays at home so you can see under the gum line and inside your teeth for decay? Are you keeping track of bone loss? How do you check the periodontal pockets around your teeth or do an oral cancer exam? How do you apply high enough concentrations (much higher than toothpaste has) of fluoride to result in a layer of calcium fluoride near your enamel surface to protect your teeth from decay? Are you able to use a probe on your teeth or see any cracks forming in your molars? How do you check yourself for bruxism? Are you able to take intraoral pictures of all your teeth to document any issues progressing over time? There are a myriad of other conditions that your dentist will check for as well. We have referred patients to cardiologists and saved their lives because of what we saw during a periodic exam. Modern medicine has many specialties, but you are still an entire person so everything is interrelated in your body.

Unfortunately, too many people see the Dentist visit as a “cleaning”; while you may clean your car, your room, or your house, what you get at the dentist is so much more than that. I truly hope this helps you to decide to start doing more than the minimum recommended brushing and flossing so you will have teeth to eat with when you are much older. Please go see a dentist as soon as possible.

Jim Kline

Yes.

Professional dental cleanings are absolutely necessary for a healthy mouth. All people, including dentists, will miss some areas of their mouths when they clean their teeth at home. Skipping out on professional cleanings can lead to periodontal disease and the need for many fillings and crown. So, if you want to make your dentist rich, do not get your teeth cleaned professionally.

Yes, unfortunately even if you do a great job with you home care a professional cleaning and exam is still recommended. Over time, plaque can harden on teeth and it is difficult to remove. Additionally at cleanings we check for other issues such as cavities and oral cancer which are both often painless and better to catch early.

In my opinion they are. Your gums extend 3mm to where they attach to the tooth. The typical tooth brush will reach 1-1.5mm deep. This leaves 1.5-2mm uncleaned. Dental cleanings clean this area. Additionally it is good to get an exam during this time to catch any issues which may be present before they become a larger problem.

Yes, and I do all mine.