Regular Dental Cleaning Benefits: Mith or Reality?

Due to Professional dental cleaning benefits, also known as scaling and polishing or prophylaxis, it is a common dental practice that many patients undergo every six or twelve months for dental prevention purposes.

But what are its real benefits, and what does science tell us about it? The available sources offer a nuanced perspective, highlighting different aspects depending on the context.

The Cochrane Perspective: Limited Benefit for Healthy Adults?

A systematic review by Cochrane Iberoamérica¹ directly addresses the question of scheduled dental cleaning in healthy adults. According to their findings:

• Little or no benefit: Systematic scaling and polishing, performed every 6 or 12 months, offers little or no benefit for dental health in terms of early signs of gingivitis, dental plaque deposits, and the depth of the sulcus between the tooth and the gum (periodontal pockets). The certainty of the evidence for these effects is high.
• Calculus reduction: A small reduction in calculus levels is observed, although it is unclear if this reduction is clinically significant for patients or professionals.
• Quality of life: Studies found no differences in quality of life between those who received scheduled cleanings and those who did not
• “Low-value” intervention: Due to these findings, systematic scaling and polishing is considered a “low-value or unnecessary” intervention when performed routinely in healthy adults.
• Feeling of cleanliness: Despite the limited long-term clinical benefits, participants who underwent these treatments reported a greater feeling of cleanliness in their teeth.

It is important to note that the studies reviewed by Cochrane did not evaluate side effects (such as damage to tooth surfaces or sensitivity), changes in attachment level, tooth loss, or halitosis.

Benefits in Pediatric Dentistry Practice and Biofilm Control

Despite the conclusions of the Cochrane review, Dadalto, E. C. V., Hebling, J., & Sarmento ² highlight multiple reasons and benefits for which professional dental cleaning is an established practice, especially in pediatric dentistry:

• Efficient dental biofilm control: Professional dental prophylaxis is an effective option for individual dental biofilm (bacterial plaque) control6. Its regular removal is crucial for maintaining healthy gums, as biofilm influences the mineral balance of dental tissues and the periodontal health of children and adolescents78.
• Caries prevention: The elimination of biofilm and dental calculus is considered a measure for the prevention of dental caries. Caries lesions form as a result of biofilm metabolism, making its good control essential in non-invasive preventive treatment.
• Stain removal and aesthetics: Professional cleaning aids in the removal of extrinsic stains and contributes to aesthetic considerations.
• Preparation for other treatments: Although not always strictly necessary, dental prophylaxis prepares surfaces for the topical application of fluoride and the placement of pit and fissure sealants.
• Facilitation of clinical examination: By removing biofilm, cleaning facilitates a more precise clinical examination, which promotes correct diagnosis and an adequate treatment plan, especially for incipient “white spot” lesions that may not be visible in the presence of biofilm.
• Polishing surfaces: Polishing rough surfaces minimizes the retention and accumulation of dental biofilm.
• Behavior management: In young children and apprehensive patients, cleaning can be used as a behavior management technique.

The Brazilian Association of Pediatric Dentistry emphasizes the importance of reviewing protocols for dental prophylaxis and periodic follow-up in promoting oral health in children and adolescents.

Periodontal Therapy and its Impact on Systemic Health

A study from the Universidad Regional Autónoma de Los Andes “UNIANDES” ³ focuses on the “Effects of periodontal therapy in patients with cardiovascular diseases,” which is a different approach to routine cleaning, as periodontal therapy is applied when gum disease (periodontitis) already exists. However, it highlights the deep connection between oral health and general health:

• Improvement of endothelial function: Periodontal treatment can improve endothelial function in patients who have suffered heart attacks, suggesting a potential for preventing adverse cardiovascular events
• Blood pressure control: A causal connection between periodontitis and hypertension has been identified, indicating that periodontal treatment could help control blood pressure, a significant cardiovascular risk factor. However, another review found no clear evidence of impact on blood pressure, noting the need for more research.
• Reduction of inflammatory markers: Periodontal therapy supplemented with a diode laser can reduce inflammatory markers, which is relevant for cardiovascular prevention, as systemic inflammation significantly influences atherosclerosis.
• Improves post-cardiovascular event recovery: Periodontal therapy can improve recovery and prevent sequelae in patients who have experienced acute cardiovascular events.
• Longevity and lower risk of heart pathologies: Effective treatment of periodontitis and preservation of natural dentition can have significant implications for longevity and the reduction of the danger of heart pathologies.
• Decreased risk of strokes: Periodontal intervention has a potential role in decreasing the risk of strokes, especially ischemic ones, possibly through the reduction of systemic inflammation
• Improves periodontal healing: Non-surgical periodontal treatment can improve periodontal healing and reduce systemic inflammation, which has positive implications for overall cardiovascular health

Despite these promising findings, it is important to mention that current evidence is insufficient to make definitive recommendations on the use of periodontal therapy for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases in patients with chronic periodontitis, which underlines the urgency for more research.

Oral Hygiene beyond Dental Cleaning Benefits

The World Health Organization (WHO) emphasizes that many oral diseases are preventable and can be treated with cost-effective measures ⁴. Untreated dental caries affects 2.5 billion people and severe periodontitis affects one billion worldwide, indicating a clear lack of access to prevention and treatment.

Common risk factors for non-communicable diseases, such as high sugar intake, tobacco use, and harmful alcohol consumption, also contribute to the global oral health crisis Therefore, promoting a balanced diet, quitting tobacco, and reducing alcohol consumption, along with better access to fluoridated toothpaste, are key opportunities to improve global oral health.

A study on adolescents in Trujillo ⁵ found that, while a large proportion of the sample had a prevalence of dentin caries (71.4%), there was no statistically significant relationship between knowledge about oral hygiene practices (elements or habits) and the prevalence of caries45…. Despite this non-statistical relationship in the specific study, the importance of correct oral hygiene to prevent oral diseases remains a fundamental point. This study recommends educational campaigns on oral hygiene and the importance of periodic dental check-ups every six months to detect problems early5556.

Conclusion

“Periodic dental cleaning” is a term that encompasses different realities. While routine prophylaxis for healthy adults may have limited clinical benefits beyond a feeling of cleanliness, attention and biofilm control are essential for caries prevention and maintaining periodontal health…. Beyond routine cleaning, periodontal therapy to treat existing gum disease shows an increasingly clear link with improvements in cardiovascular health and the reduction of systemic risk factors.

The decision regarding the frequency and type of professional dental cleaning should be based on an individual assessment of the risk of caries and periodontal disease, as well as the specific needs of each patient6. Maintaining good daily oral hygiene and considering oral health as an integral part of general health are crucial steps for long-term well-being.

Although the benefits of dental cleaning may be questionable, at Asiri Dental Center, we believe in good daily oral hygiene and regular checkups as key to achieving long-term overall health, and we believe in dental cleaning as a remedy for any shortcomings that daily hygiene may cause.

References

1. Cochrane Iberoamérica. (2021, septiembre). ¿Es beneficiosa la limpieza dental profesional para la salud de los dientes y encías? https://es.cochrane.org/es/noticias/es-beneficiosa-la-limpieza-dental-profesional-para-la-salud-de-los-dientes-y-encias ↩︎
2. Dadalto, E. C. V., Hebling, J., & Sarmento, L. C. (n.d.). Profilaxis dental en la práctica odontopediátrica. En Profilaxis dental en la práctica odontopediátrica (Capítulo 12) ↩︎
3. Dávalos López, D. J. (2024). Efectos de la terapia periodontal en pacientes con enfermedades cardiovasculares: Una revisión bibliográfica [Tesis de Odontólogo, Universidad Regional Autónoma de Los Andes “UNIANDES”] ↩︎
4. Organización Mundial de la Salud. (2022, 18 de noviembre). La OMS destaca que el descuido de la salud bucodental afecta a casi la mitad de la población mundial. Comunicado de prensa. https://www.who.int/es/news/item/18-11-2022-who-highlights-neglect-of-oral-health-that-affects-nearly-half-of-the-world-s-population ↩︎
5. Ventura Cueva, J. E. (2023). Relación entre conocimiento en prácticas de higiene bucal y prevalencia de caries dentinaria en adolescentes de un hospital de Trujillo [Tesis para optar el título profesional de Cirujano Dentista, Universidad Señor de Sipán]. http://repositorio.uss.edu.pe/handle/20.500.12802/10006 ↩︎

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