Why are professional cleanings needed if I brush and floss daily?

Even excellent home care leaves some plaque, which hardens into tartar within days. Tartar cannot be removed by a toothbrush and shelters the bacteria that cause gum disease, so professional instruments are required to remove it.

Are dental X-rays safe?

Yes. Modern digital X-rays use a very small fraction of the radiation of older film systems and are taken only at intervals warranted by the patient’s situation. They detect decay and bone changes long before symptoms appear.

General & Preventive

Dental Cleanings & Checkups in Mundelein, IL — The Foundation of a Healthy Smile

Q: Does a dental cleaning hurt?

For most patients, no. A routine cleaning involves gentle scraping and polishing with only mild, brief sensitivity. Patients with inflamed gums or a long gap between visits may feel more sensitivity, and the hygienist can adjust the approach for comfort.

Q: Do I get a cleaning at the same appointment as my exam?

In most cases, yes. If the gums are healthy, the cleaning is completed the same day. If signs of gum disease are found, a different type of cleaning may be recommended and scheduled.

Q: What is the difference between a regular cleaning and a deep cleaning?

A regular cleaning maintains healthy mouths by cleaning tooth surfaces at and above the gumline. A deep cleaning, called scaling and root planing, treats gum disease by removing bacterial deposits from the roots beneath the gumline.

Q: How often should you get a dental cleaning?

Most patients should have a cleaning and checkup every six months. Patients with active gum disease, frequent cavities, or other risk factors may need visits every three to four months.

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The short version

A dental cleaning and checkup at Markiewicz Dental in Mundelein, IL includes professional plaque and tartar removal by our hygienists, polishing, and a dentist’s exam of your teeth, gums, bite, and existing dental work — the twice-a-year visit that catches small problems while they’re still small.

The most powerful thing you can do for your long-term dental health is also the simplest: come in twice a year. Regular cleanings and checkups save you time, money, and discomfort down the road — because almost every dental catastrophe started as something a routine visit would have caught.

Dental hygienist performing a professional teeth cleaning at Markiewicz Dental in Mundelein, IL

What Happens at a Dental Cleaning?

A professional cleaning (your hygienist may call it a prophylaxis) goes well beyond what brushing and flossing at home can reach. Our hygienists remove plaque and hardened tartar from every tooth surface — including between teeth and along the gumline, where buildup is invisible to you and untouchable by a toothbrush. Then we polish away surface stains and finish with flossing, leaving everything smooth and clean. If your exam shows signs of gum disease, we may recommend a deeper cleaning (scaling and root planing) instead of a standard one — and we’ll explain exactly why, because the right cleaning is the one your gums actually need.

What Happens at a Dental Checkup?

While you’re in the chair, your dentist performs a thorough exam:

If anything turns up, your dentist walks you through it in plain language with a clear, prioritized plan — what needs attention now, what we’re watching, and what can wait. New to the practice? Your first visit is a more extensive version of this: see our comprehensive new patient exam.

Every tooth checked for decay, cracks, and wear
Periodontal evaluation measuring the pocket depths around each tooth
Oral cancer screening
Bite and jaw evaluation
Review of digital X-rays for hidden decay and bone levels
Assessment of existing fillings, crowns, and other restorations

How Often Should You Get a Dental Cleaning?

For most patients, every six months. If you have active gum disease, a history of frequent cavities, or other risk factors, we may recommend visits every three to four months instead — gum disease in particular re-establishes below the gumline on roughly that timeline. Whatever your situation, you’ll get a recall schedule built for your mouth, not a default.

Been a While? No Judgment Here.

Life gets busy. We see patients who haven’t been to a dentist in years — sometimes decades — and here’s what we can promise: no lecture, no shame, no starting the visit with what you should have done. We start where you are and build a plan from there. If it’s fear rather than time that’s kept you away, we have sedation options for exactly that. The most important step is the call; everything after that is our job to make easy.

Questions

Frequently Asked Questions About Cleanings and Checkups

Does a dental cleaning hurt?

For most patients, no — a routine cleaning feels like gentle scraping and polishing, and any sensitivity is mild and brief. If your gums are inflamed or it’s been a long time between visits, you might feel more sensitivity, and we’ll adjust our approach. Tell us if anything is uncomfortable; we have plenty of ways to make it easier.

Do I get a cleaning at the same appointment as my exam?

In most cases, yes. If your gums are healthy, we complete your cleaning the same day. If the exam shows signs of gum disease, we’ll recommend the right type of cleaning for your situation and schedule it.

Why do I need professional cleanings if I brush and floss every day?

Because tartar. Even excellent home care leaves some plaque behind, and once plaque hardens into tartar — which takes only days — no toothbrush removes it. Tartar shelters the bacteria that cause gum disease, and only professional instruments get it off. Home care and professional cleanings aren’t alternatives; they’re a team.

What’s the difference between a regular cleaning and a deep cleaning?

A regular cleaning works on the tooth surfaces above and just at the gumline, keeping healthy mouths healthy. A deep cleaning (scaling and root planing) goes beneath the gumline to remove bacterial deposits from the roots — it’s treatment for gum disease, not routine maintenance. Your gum measurements at the exam determine which one your mouth needs.

Are dental X-rays at checkups safe?

Yes — modern digital X-rays use a very small fraction of the radiation of older film systems, and we only take them at the intervals your situation warrants, not reflexively. They’re how we catch decay between teeth and bone changes years before you’d feel anything, which is precisely the point of a checkup.

How long does a cleaning and checkup appointment take?

Typically about an hour for a routine visit — cleaning, exam, and X-rays when they’re due. If it’s been years since your last visit, plan on a bit longer so we can do it right the first time.

Patient reviews

From people who had this done here.

I have been a patient here for over twenty years and I would not go anywhere else. Everyone knows my name the moment I walk in, and the care has always been thorough and completely honest.

Donna W.Verified Google review

I used to dread the dentist. This office changed that. They explained every step, checked in constantly, and never once made me feel rushed or judged about the work I had put off.

Juli N.Verified Google review

Three generations of my family are treated here. The technology is genuinely impressive, but what keeps us coming back is how kind everyone is to my kids and to my mother.

Trish B.Verified Google review

Related care

More in General & Preventive.

Due — or overdue — for a cleaning? Either way, we’d be glad to see you. Call Markiewicz Dental at (847) 566-2811 or request an appointment online. Serving Mundelein, Libertyville, Vernon Hills, and all of Lake County, IL.