Reasons a Dentist Would Recommend a Deep Cleaning

Your dentist might recommend deep cleaning if you have been diagnosed with gum disease. Also known as root scaling and planing, the procedure involves removing plaque and tartar from teeth surfaces and their roots.

Figuring out of you need deep cleaning

A dentist might recommend deep cleaning teeth after performing a comprehensive periodic evaluation. This is a thorough examination of a patient’s gum tissues that involves inserting a probe into the patient’s gum pockets. Healthy gum pockets should be no deeper than one to three millimeters. Any more than that might be a sign of gum disease. Let us take a look at some of the reasons a dentist might recommend getting deep cleaning for your teeth. 

1. To reverse gingivitis

The first stage of gum disease, a.k.a. gingivitis, can be reversed with improved oral hygiene and regular teeth cleaning. However, a dentist might recommend deep teeth cleaning if they doubt the patient’s willingness to improve their oral hygiene routine or give up habits that promote gum disease, like smoking.

2. Periodontitis

This advanced stage of gum disease affects the gum tissues and bone structures in the mouth. It is too late to reverse gum disease at this stage, but it can be managed with root scaling and planing. The procedure helps clean out bacteria in gum pockets that lead to the chronic inflammation of gum tissues associated with periodontitis. Performing deep cleaning on patients with periodontitis often helps them to avoid more complicated treatments used to manage gum disease, like bone grafts, and it can prevent tooth loss.

The process

The regular teeth cleaning procedure involves removing tartar and plaque from teeth surfaces and below the gums. Deep cleanings go further than that. During the treatment, the patient’s gum tissues are pulled back so the roots of their teeth can be carefully cleaned.

The procedure also improves polishing the roots to smooth out any rough spots. This makes it more difficult for bacteria to accumulate in these areas. It also gives the patient’s gum tissues a smoother surface to attach to, which helps eliminate gum pockets. Medication might be applied on teeth roots to kill any bacteria there.

The procedure can take up to two hours to complete and is usually broken into multiple sessions. Patients are injected with a local anesthetic at the start of their treatment, so they are numb and do not feel pain as the dentist works. The conventional way of performing deep cleanings involves using metal tools, but it can now be done with a laser. Laser deep cleanings are less invasive than the traditional approach because they lead to less discomfort, swelling, and bleeding.

Protect your teeth against gum disease

Root scaling and planing can help reverse gingivitis, and it can be used to manage periodontitis. Give us a call or visit our Palm Desert clinic to set up an appointment with our dentist.

Request an appointment here: https://totalcareimplantdentistry.com or call Total Care Dentistry & Implants at (760) 394-3088 for an appointment in our Palm Desert office.

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