Four Signs You Might Need a Dental Cleaning (Even if Your Teeth Feel Fine!)
I may be a dentist, but I’m a human being first, and I fully understand that in this day and age, most of us feel busy most of the time. As a result, we all let certain things that we know we “should” be doing fall by the wayside occasionally. It’s no surprise that routine dental cleanings often fall into this category. Simply put, if your teeth don’t hurt and everything looks normal during a quick glance in the mirror, it’s easy to assume that everything is fine.
That being said, the truth is that nearly all dental problems are very subtle—not to mention completely painless—in their earliest stages. So with this in mind, as we get closer to finally opening Prickly Pear Dental Care, I want to share four practical, easy-to-spot signs that it might be time for your next dental cleaning—even if nothing feels jarringly “wrong” at this precise moment.
1. Your gums bleed when you brush or floss.
A tiny bit of pink in the sink might not seem like a huge deal, and if this is the first time that you’ve picked up the floss in quite a while, frankly it might not be. However, if you’ve been flossing for several days straight and you’re still drawing blood—or especially if you’re bleeding from brushing alone—then the state of affairs becomes somewhat more concerning. The truth is that bleeding gums are one of the earliest and most reliable signs of inflammation, often caused by plaque beginning to build up along the gumline.
If this is something that you’ve been experiencing recently, here’s some good news: generally speaking, this issue is completely reversible with a professional cleaning followed up by consistent home care. But with that being said, ignored inflammation can quickly progress into more serious gum disease, which is more complicated to treat and more dangerous for your long-term, systemic health.
2. You notice tartar that you can’t brush away.
Tartar (also called calculus) is essentially hardened plaque that has become firmly attached to the teeth and cannot be safely or fully removed at home. You might first notice it as roughness behind your lower front teeth, yellow or brown discoloration near the gums, or a “gritty” feeling as you move your tongue across your teeth.
Once tartar forms, a professional cleaning is the only way to remove it. Beyond aesthetic concerns, leaving it in place creates small pockets where bacteria thrive, significantly increasing the risk of gum disease. Regular cleanings can remove tartar and prevent this buildup from becoming an even more significant problem.
3. You’re experiencing persistent bad breath—even soon after brushing.
Let’s be clear: everyone—including dentists!—has bad breath sometimes, like after eating certain foods or immediately upon waking up in the morning. That being said, if you or your loved ones are noticing your persistent bad breath even soon after brushing and flossing, this could be a sign of bacteria buildup below your gumline.
I really want to emphasize that I am not trying to shame anyone for their bad breath. In fact, it’s a very common issue and not something that anyone should feel embarrassed about! That being said, bad breath is not simply unpleasant; it’s also a sign of nascent dental issues that can become more serious oral-health problems if not addressed. Simply put, a dental cleaning can help to dramatically improve most bad-breath situations while also safeguarding the patient’s health.
4. More than six months have passed since your last cleaning.
No matter how great your diet is or how consistently you brush and floss your teeth, the simplest indicator remains perhaps the most important: if more than six months have passed since your last cleaning, you’re probably overdue.
Why six months? Well, for most people, this timing keeps plaque and tartar under control and allows us to catch small issues before they become overly complicated or more expensive to treat. The twice-annual cleaning is basically preventive maintenance for your mouth—it’s simple, fast, and affordable, and it helps to prevent complex, time-consuming, and expensive dental problems down the line.
And with that in mind, here’s a bit more good news: our in-house membership plan includes—free of any additional charges—exactly this: two cleanings per year, plus plenty of other benefits that you can read about at the above link.
In conclusion…
Please remember that pain is actually one of the least reliable indicators of oral health. Basically, by the time something hurts, you’re already dealing with a significant oral-health issue! Cavities, gum disease, and infections are all things that you want to prevent entirely—or at least catch as early as possible—and if you wait to visit the dentist until you’re in pain, this certainly isn’t the case.
Please listen: patients tell me all the time that they feel self-conscious about going “too long” without a cleaning, and that as a result they waited even longer to come into my office. Please don’t do this. I understand fully how busy life gets, especially in a hardworking city like El Paso. Family schedules, extra shifts at work, military moves, and all-nighters studying at UTEP often push dental care further down toward the bottom of the to-do list.
When it comes to routine, preventive dental cleanings, the important thing is not how long it’s been; it’s deciding to make your health the priority and taking that first step forward.
When we open our doors in just a few weeks, our goal is to create a judgment-free environment where you feel welcome, understood, and cared for, regardless of whether your last cleaning was six months ago or six years ago. Preventive dentistry is the foundation of everything that we do at Prickly Pear Dental Care, and I look forward to caring for you and your family soon.