You’re a good person – you pay your taxes, pick up litter, and
make it to the dentist every 6 months. Now you’re being told you may need a
deep cleaning…but don’t you clean your teeth every day? And isn’t a deep
cleaning what the dentist always does? Not quite, although we know it can
sometimes feel that way.
Aregular dental cleaning is what you are accustomed to receiving every 6 months.The intention of this visit to the dentist is to maintain your healthy gums and
give your teeth a little extra attention when it comes to matters of plaque and
tartar, which can be difficult to remove fully with a toothbrush and floss
alone. The odds are that if you are brushing and flossing every day, and taking
any other steps recommended by your doctor, a regular dental cleaning is the
perfect addition to your regular care that will keep your smile happy and
healthy.
Deep cleaning, a
necessity?
A deep
cleaning, on the other hand, is what becomes necessary when the health of your
teeth and gums become jeopardized by gum disease (or ‘periodontitis’). To put
it in perspective, your gums are supposed to have tight and healthy seals
around your teeth to protect them and keep them firmly in place. A standard
part of your regular cleaning is your doctor using a diagnostic tool called a
‘periodontal probe’ to ensure this is the case; the probe is used to measure
the depth of the space between your gums and teeth. Typically 1-3mm is
considered normal, and there should be very little or no bleeding at all.
Upwards of 4mm is a sign that you are developing ‘pockets’, which are a space
between the teeth and gums that becomes prime breeding ground for bacteria and
tartar buildup. Plaque that is not brushed and flossed away left on the teeth
for more than 24 hours can become tartar, which only your dentist can remove.
Left unattended, these pockets can deepen and compromise the tooth and the
surrounding bone structure. If the dentist uses the probe and measures 4mm or
more, and/or there is significant bleeding and signs of inflammation, then a
deep cleaning will be scheduled to help you get your smile back on track.
Deep cleaning is not a
scary process.
Oftentimes,
your dentist will break the cleaning into two separate visits to most
effectively treat your mouth, this is especially important if your entire mouth
needs attention so that you’ll be numbed in only smaller sections of your mouth
each time, making for a completely comfortable process and quick recovery. The
most common forms of treatment are ‘scaling’ and ‘root planing’. The process of
scaling involves using a professional tool to remove plaque and tartar from
both the surface of the teeth, and the pocket area that has been created
between your teeth and gums. A scaling instrument, on the other hand, removes
plaque and tartar from the surface of the root of your teeth, which is below
the gum line and not visible. These tools are the only thing that can removed
built up plaque, as even floss cannot reach far into deepened pockets. The good
news is they do a wonderful job of cleaning up any tartar that has built up
beneath the visible surface.
Periodontitis
is a progressive disease, and left unattended can turn into a much more serious
problem. Fortunately, the treatment is typically straight forward and as long
as you follow the doctor’s aftercare instructions, the bacteria should be
reduced to manageable levels and your gums should return to normal and lose any
signs of redness. If you are feeling pain or sensitivity in your teeth, have
red and/or puffy gums, or are experiencing bleeding during normal brushing and
flossing – call us. The sooner periodontitis is identified the easier it is to
treat and the less expensive it is for you, if you have any concerns about your
oral health just remember that a professional evaluation is never harmful andmay offer you some great information.
2208 North 30th St., Suite 201
Tacoma, WA 98403
