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905-848-2250
Mississauga, ON · Preventive Care

Dental Cleaning in Mississauga

Regular professional cleanings keep your teeth healthy and your smile bright. Remove tartar build-up, detect problems early, and leave every appointment with a fresh, clean mouth.
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905-848-2250
Overview

What is a professional dental cleaning?

A professional dental cleaning, also called a prophylaxis or scale and polish, removes plaque and tartar (hardened plaque) that brushing and flossing can’t eliminate at home. Even the most diligent brushers develop tartar in hard-to-reach areas over time. Left in place, tartar causes gum inflammation, bone loss, and eventually tooth loss.The Canadian Dental Association recommends professional cleanings at intervals tailored to each patient’s oral health risk. Most people benefit from two visits per year, while those managing gum disease or other risk factors may need more frequent care. Regular cleanings are the most cost-effective investment in your long-term oral health.

Remove What Brushing Misses

Tartar can only be removed with professional instruments. Once plaque hardens, no amount of brushing will dislodge it. Professional cleaning eliminates the build-up that, if left untreated, progresses to gum disease and eventual tooth loss.

Early Problem Detection

Every cleaning appointment includes a thorough examination. Catching cavities, gum disease, or other concerns early, before they cause pain or require extensive treatment, saves you time, discomfort, and money.

A Fresher Mouth

Professional cleaning removes surface staining and the bacteria responsible for bad breath, leaving your teeth noticeably smoother and your mouth feeling clean in a way that home brushing simply doesn’t replicate.
Who This Is For

Who benefits from professional dental cleanings?

Professional cleanings benefit everyone, children, adults, and seniors alike. Even patients with excellent home hygiene develop tartar and benefit from regular professional care. Certain patients need more frequent visits to stay ahead of specific concerns.

Patients With Healthy Gums

Routine maintenance cleanings every six months keep healthy gums healthy. At these appointments, we also reassess your oral health and adjust the recall interval if your risk profile changes.

Patients With Gum Disease

Active or recurrent gum disease typically requires more frequent appointments, often every three to four months. Periodontal maintenance cleanings remove bacteria from deeper pockets around the teeth that routine cleaning doesn’t reach.

Dental Appliance Wearers

Patients with braces, retainers, implants, or bridges accumulate plaque in areas that are harder to clean at home. Professional cleaning removes build-up around appliances and helps prevent complications during treatment.

Patients With Systemic Health Conditions

Oral health is closely connected to systemic conditions including diabetes, heart disease, and pregnancy. Patients managing these conditions benefit particularly from consistent professional care and regular monitoring of gum health.
What To Expect

What happens at a cleaning appointment.

1

Health History Review

We begin by reviewing any changes to your health history or medications since your last visit. Certain medications affect saliva production, gum health, and healing, knowing your full health picture allows us to tailor your care appropriately.

2

Scaling

Using hand instruments and an ultrasonic scaler, your hygienist carefully removes tartar from all tooth surfaces, including below the gumline. The ultrasonic scaler uses vibration and water to break up deposits gently and efficiently.

3

Polishing

A mildly abrasive paste and rotating brush remove surface staining and smooth the tooth surfaces. Smoother surfaces are harder for plaque and bacteria to adhere to, which means your home brushing is more effective between visits.

4

Flossing & Rinse

We floss between all teeth to remove any residual debris and check for areas of sensitivity or bleeding that may indicate early gum disease. A fluoride rinse or varnish may be applied to strengthen enamel.

5

Examination & X-Rays

Your dentist performs a full examination following the cleaning, checking for cavities, assessing gum health, screening for oral cancer, and reviewing any X-rays taken during the appointment. We discuss findings openly and recommend next steps only when genuinely needed.
Honest Expectations

Benefits and realistic considerations.

What You Gain

  • Removal of tartar that home care cannot address, protecting long-term gum health
  • Early detection of cavities, gum disease, and other issues before they become serious
  • A fresher mouth, reduced bad breath, and smoother, cleaner-feeling teeth
  • Personalized guidance on brushing technique, products, and areas needing extra attention

Things to Know

  • Some sensitivity during or after cleaning is normal, especially if it has been a while since your last visit
  • Gum disease may require a deeper cleaning (scaling and root planing) rather than a routine prophylaxis
  • Professional cleaning brightens teeth by removing staining, but is not a substitute for whitening treatment
  • We're a CDCP office, ask about coverage and recall scheduling that works for your situation
Preparation & Aftercare

Before, during, and after your cleaning.

Before Your Appointment

Brush and floss as usual before your appointment, there’s no need to do anything special. If you have dental anxiety, let us know when you book so we can note it in your file and ensure the hygienist takes extra care. Bring a list of any new medications or health changes since your last visit.

During the Visit

Cleanings are thorough but gentle. If you experience discomfort at any point, let us know, we can adjust our approach or offer a topical numbing gel. Some patients with sensitive teeth or significant tartar build-up find their first few appointments more intense, with subsequent visits becoming progressively more comfortable as gum health improves.

After the Appointment

If a fluoride treatment was applied, wait 30 minutes before eating or drinking. Some mild gum sensitivity or tenderness is normal for 24 hours following a thorough cleaning, especially if significant tartar was removed. If sensitivity persists beyond a day or two, or if you notice unusual bleeding, contact us.
At-Home Care

Protecting your clean teeth between visits.

Professional cleaning works best when supported by consistent home care. These habits make the most of every appointment.
Brush for two full minutes, twice daily, using a soft-bristled toothbrush
Floss once daily to remove plaque from between teeth where your toothbrush can’t reach
Use a fluoride toothpaste, it strengthens enamel and reduces cavity risk
Limit sugary and acidic foods, which feed the bacteria that cause decay and gum disease
Consider a water flosser if traditional flossing is difficult or you have bridges or implants
Keep all recall appointments, prevention is always simpler and less costly than treatment
Related Services

Services that complement your cleaning visits.

Family & Children's Dental Services

Cleanings are the foundation of family dental care. We schedule cleanings for every age, using gentle techniques for young children and addressing the specific concerns of adults and seniors during the same appointment block.

Teeth Whitening

Professional cleaning removes surface staining, making whitening results more even and longer-lasting. Many patients choose to whiten shortly after a cleaning for maximum effect.

Dental Implants

Patients with implants benefit from professional cleaning to remove plaque from around the implant post and crown, areas that are harder to clean at home and critical to long-term implant success.
Why Tomken Dental

Why Mississauga patients trust us for their cleanings.

Thorough, Gentle Hygiene Care

Our dental hygienists are experienced with patients of every age and anxiety level. We take the time to clean thoroughly without rushing, and we check in with you throughout to make sure you’re comfortable. Patients who have avoided cleanings for years often tell us we changed their expectations.

Personalized Recall Scheduling

We don’t assign a blanket six-month interval to every patient. Your recall schedule is based on your individual risk factors, gum health, cavity history, systemic conditions, and we revisit it as your oral health evolves.

Easy Scheduling for Families

Book multiple family members on the same day to minimize trips and time away from work or school. Our Tomken Plaza location offers ample parking and is near major transit routes in Mississauga.
Common Questions

Dental cleaning FAQ.

How often should I get a professional cleaning?
Most patients benefit from two cleanings per year, but the CDA recommends individualized schedules. Patients with gum disease, a history of heavy tartar build-up, or certain systemic health conditions may need appointments every three to four months. We’ll recommend an interval based on your specific oral health.
Cleanings are typically comfortable, though patients with sensitive teeth or significant tartar accumulation may experience some tenderness. We offer topical numbing gel for sensitive areas, and we encourage you to communicate during the appointment so we can adjust. Subsequent visits are almost always more comfortable.
A routine cleaning (prophylaxis) removes plaque and tartar above and just below the gumline. A deep cleaning (scaling and root planing) extends further below the gumline to remove deposits from deeper pockets and smooth root surfaces, used when active gum disease is present.
Professional cleaning removes surface staining from coffee, tea, and other foods, which brightens teeth noticeably. However, it doesn’t change the underlying tooth colour. For more dramatic whitening results, we offer professional take-home and in-office whitening treatments.
It’s very common and nothing to be embarrassed about. Longer gaps between cleanings typically mean more tartar accumulation, and your first appointment may take a little longer or feel more intense. But patients who come back after a long absence consistently tell us they wish they hadn’t waited. Call (647) 692-6053, we’ll take good care of you.

Your healthiest smile starts with a cleaning.

Book your next appointment today. Evening and Saturday hours available. Call (647) 692-6053 or request online.
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