Cleaning

What is it?

During a dental cleaning, we remove stains, tartar, plaque, and other debris.

When do I need this treatment?

• If you have a lot of tartar or plaque. You can no longer remove this by brushing alone.

• If you have inflamed gums. We call this gingivitis. Inflamed gums can bleed, cause pain, or lead to a bad taste in your mouth and bad breath.

• If you have deeper inflammation in the gums and the underlying bone. We call this periodontitis. (see gum treatments)

What can I expect from this treatment?

Depending on how extensive the cleaning needs to be, the preventive assistant, dental hygienist, or dentist will first perform an examination. This allows us to see if there is any inflammation and where it is located. Afterwards, we create a treatment plan.

We clean the teeth using special instruments and equipment. If necessary, we apply a dye to the plaque so we can see together where you may find it difficult to clean properly.

The cleaning can feel sensitive. This sensitivity is usually caused by the cooling water. If you prefer, we can use local anesthesia.

To make the treatment more comfortable, we use a device called the Airflow. The Airflow uses special powders to spray the teeth clean. The water is heated, which reduces sensitivity during the treatment.

Finally, we will discuss personalized tips tailored to your specific needs. It is helpful to bring your own toothbrush and oral care products to the appointment. We will then check whether you are using the right tools for your teeth.

What are the costs?

The costs depend on the type of cleaning you need. A cleaning for inflammation in the jawbone (periodontitis) is more extensive than a cleaning where the inflammation is only superficial.

To give you an idea of the costs, below you will find an example in which there is no jawbone inflammation. In this case, it involves simply removing tartar and plaque above the gum line.

A gum examination costs approximately between €40 and €80.

A cleaning appointment at LACH Mondzorg lasts a minimum of 15 minutes and a maximum of 60 minutes.

Per 15 minutes, a cleaning appointment costs approximately €50. You may need multiple appointments to clean everything thoroughly and get your mouth healthy.

Background information about costs In dental care, we work with fixed fees that are determined annually by the Dutch Healthcare Authority. This is a list of codes and descriptions that represent the different components of a treatment.

The total cost of a treatment is the sum of these different components. Each component has a legally established maximum rate.

The complete list of all codes can be found at: https://www.allesoverhetgebit.nl

Did you know?

Plaque is soft and you can remove it yourself. If you do this daily, you can prevent gum problems and stop tartar from forming. Tartar cannot be removed by brushing alone. A dental hygienist, preventive assistant, or dentist can remove tartar for you.

Five TIPS for less plaque and tartar

You cannot prevent plaque from forming. However, you can reduce the buildup and make it less harmful to your teeth and gums. Plaque that remains for a long time turns into tartar. Less plaque therefore means less or no tartar.

1. Remove plaque twice a day by brushing your teeth.

2. Remove plaque between your teeth once a day using interdental brushes, toothpicks or floss.

3. Drink enough water throughout the day to prevent a dry mouth. It also helps maintain sufficient saliva production, which has a natural cleansing effect.

4. Eat healthy food and limit yourself to a maximum of seven eating and drinking moments per day. Reducing sugar and starchy foods results in less harmful plaque.

5. Get enough sleep and avoid stress. Stress can reduce both the production and quality of saliva, leading to the formation of more harmful plaque.