Dental what?

Do you remember the word "dental prophylaxis" that showed up a little bit ago? Well today we are going to get familiarized with the term. Most people like to refer this word as a "cleaning". However it means a lot more than just that. By definition, dental prophylaxis means the removal of plaque, material alba (a whitish deposit on the teeth), calculus, and stains by the hygienist as a preventative measure. Big emphasis on the preventative. Some of us think that "cleanings" are not as important and can be skipped. That however is not true. Take a car for example. You wouldn't buy a brand new car and then only change the oil every 25,000 miles. You would change it every 3,000 miles. Some people will skip preventative hygiene visits or only come in every 2-3 years. That's like never getting your oil changed. So please make sure to keep you "dental prophylaxis" a priority and come in every 6 months.