If you've been too busy to schedule your dental cleaning, clear some time for an appointment. Dental cleanings do more than whiten your teeth and give you fresh breath. A thorough dental cleaning will provide you with the care your teeth need to stay healthy and strong. Here are just four of the benefits a good dental cleaning will provide you with.

Gets Rid of the Gunk You Miss

When you brush your teeth, you probably check to make sure you didn't miss anything. To do that, you may run your tongue over the surface of your teeth, or you might look in the mirror. However, those steps aren't going to find all the gunk you missed between your teeth, behind your teeth, or below the gum line. Unfortunately, all that missed gunk is what's going to cause the bad breath, cavities, tooth decay and gum disease. Make sure you get rid of all the gunk you miss when you brush by scheduling your dental cleanings twice a year.

Provides Screening for Cancer

If you haven't had your teeth cleaned in a while, your dentist can't provide you with one of the most important services available – oral cancer screening. Each time your dentist cleans your teeth, they inspect your mouth for the tell-tale signs of oral cancer. You can't see those signs, but your dentist can. Unfortunately, without early detection, oral cancer can spread quickly. To ensure that you get the cancer screenings you need, see your dentist at least twice a year to have your teeth cleaned.

Identifies Gum Disease Early

When you look at your gums, you may see healthy pink tissue. You might not see the signs of early gum disease. What you might not know is that the longer it takes for gum disease to be diagnosed, the more damage can be done to your teeth and gums. In fact, without proper treatment, you could end up losing your teeth. One of the benefits of twice-yearly dental cleanings is that your dentist will be able to identify the early warning signs of gum disease, which will ensure that treatment can begin quickly.

Includes a Look at Your Lymph Nodes

If it's been a while since you've been to the dentist for a cleaning, you probably haven't had your lymph nodes examined. During your dental cleanings, your dentist will examine the lymph nodes that are along your jaw line. Swollen lymph nodes in your neck and jaw can be a sign of a serious problem, such as infection.

Don't postpone your dental cleanings. If it's been a while since you've seen the dentist, schedule an appointment right away.