Let’s face it, there’s clean and then there’s clean. With your best effort, you’ll be able to get most plaque off most of the surfaces of your teeth and gums that you can see and reach. That’s why brushing twice a day and flossing daily is such an important part of your oral hygiene routine. But the surfaces you can’t see and reach — and those little bits of plaque and collections of harmful bacteria that you miss — will eventually produce tartar (sometimes called calculus) that you can’t remove on your own and that will fuel tooth decay — an infection that will gradually destroy your teeth. Every day that you eat and drink and repeat the bacterial activity in your mouth between dental appointments is a day when those processes continue. Professional dental exams and teeth cleaning near you reset your teeth to their ideal stage and give you the best chance to achieve and maintain perfect dental and oral health. Why are dental exams and cleanings so important? Plaque is a l...