Teeth cleaning near me What does a teeth cleaning do, and why does it matter? While daily teeth cleaning at home is essential to fighting tooth decay and gum disease, it’s not enough to keep your mouth healthy. Professional dental cleanings remove plaque and tartar buildup, smooth the surfaces of your teeth, and polish the teeth to eliminate minor stains. Even if you brush and floss daily, you can still have buildup that leads to plaque which hardens into dental calculus, commonly known as tartar. That buildup impacts more than your teeth; it can lead to inflammation and even infection in your gums. Gum disease has been linked to multiple other health issues, including diabetes and heart disease!