Your dentist might have recommended that your teeth need deep cleaning but you have not eaten a messy and sticky meal or missed any visits to the dentist. Actually, dentists recommend deep cleaning if you show gum disease signs. Gum disease, being the most common ailment in the world, contributes to tooth loss, diabetes, and heart disease if left untreated.
What is deep cleaning?
Deep cleaningis the procedure that the dental hygienists perform on teeth to treat periodontal and gum diseases. It is almost similar to the basic cleaning but it involves root planning. It protects your teeth from the diseases that at-home care cannot do away with completely. If deep cleaning goes well, it must get rid of periodontal diseases in your mouth.
The Process of deep cleaning
- Comprehensive Dental Evaluation
Your dentist will use a periodontal probe to determine if there are any periodontal pocketing. Periodontal Pocketing is when the gum tissue between gums and teeth have a depth of more than 5 millimeters. Bacteria forms in these periodontal pockets. Healthy teeth will have periodontal pockets that are at most 3 millimeters. If they are greater than 5 millimeters, the dentist will then recommend root planning and deep scaling procedure.
- Tartar and plaque removal
The dentist will numb the area before working under the gum line to remove tartar and plaque. Removal of tartar and plaque entails root planning and scaling. Your dentist will utilize scaling instruments to clean the periodontal pockets where bacteria collects. The periodontal pockets are then smoothened out to prevent bacteria from recollecting and enable the gums to be reattached. At times, your dentist can use antimicrobials attached below the gum line so as to kill bacteria. The whole root planning and scaling takes approximately one to two hours.
The dental hygienist might use different scaling instruments which are traditional instruments, ultrasonic or scalers or both or laser instruments. The laser does not cause much discomfort or swelling as compared to the traditional instruments. However, the dentist must have specialized training.
- After cleaning
After deep cleaning, you may feel sore and the tooth might be very sensitive. Sometimes, the gums might bleed for a few days. The dentist will prescribe an antibiotic and might recommend pain relievers. Also, they will give you aftercare instruction to prevent oral damages and when you can resume your regular dental hygiene such as flossing and brushing using special types of dental care products.
Do not hesitate to see your dentist for checkups on the depth of your periodontal pockets and how your gums are healing.
To conclude with, dentists recommend that a regular oral hygiene such as flossing once daily, brushing twice daily and dental checkups twice yearly are the key to avoiding gum diseases. Understanding the deep cleaning process will make you feel at ease whenever your dentist recommends that you deep clean. For more tips on prevention of deep cleaning, you should plan an appointment with your Dentists in Everett WA today.