What Happens During Deep Teeth Cleaning?
Almost everyone knows how important it is to have routine dental cleanings to help prevent cavities and gum disease. But what many people don't know is that there are actually two types of cleaning – the routine cleaning you do (or should do) every six months and a much deeper cleaning that is usually reserved for people with moderate to advanced gum disease. Even if you've never heard of a deep teeth cleaning before, you may have heard of its "other" name – curettage or root planing and scaling. This is a bit more descriptive, but it still doesn't describe what a deep cleaning does, or when and why it's performed.
Teeth cleaning: what it is and how it's done
Routine and deep dental cleanings have one main goal: to eliminate plaque and tartar deposits that can cause gum disease, bone loss, bad breath, and other oral and overall health problems. But beyond that, the two procedures are very different.
Routine teeth cleaning
This is the type of cleaning you get when you go to the dentist for your regular six-month check-up. During a routine dental cleaning, the dentist uses special tools to remove sticky plaque and hard tartar deposits from the surface of the teeth above the gum line. These cleanings are very important for preventing gum disease and even for treating very mild forms of gum disease (called gingivitis).
Routine cleanings are also a good time to ask your dentist about areas of your mouth where your brushing and flossing routines need a little help, and your dentist can also make sure you're performing both tasks correctly to get rid of as much plaque and tartar as possible during your daily routine. In addition to preventing gum disease, teeth cleaning every six months also helps prevent bad breath. Routine cleanings are usually combined with a regular check-up to allow the dentist to examine your teeth, screen for oral cancer, and take X-rays, so they can perform a complete evaluation.
Deep teeth cleaning
As the name suggests, deep teeth cleanings provide teeth with a thorough cleaning, using special techniques to eliminate plaque, tartar, and bacteria below the gum line and even to the root of the teeth. Bacteria that cause gum disease love to hide in hard tartar deposits on the surfaces of teeth and roots, which are protected by the gums. As the bacteria multiply and grow, they release toxins that irritate the gums and bone, causing bone loss and, therefore, premature tooth loss.
Over time, your gums begin to detach from the surface of your teeth, creating small pockets that allow bacteria to migrate to the roots. Infections at the base of the tooth can weaken the bone supporting the teeth, causing teeth to fall out. In fact, gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss among adults worldwide.
Deep teeth cleaning removes bacteria below the gum line and around the roots to prevent gum disease from progressing and causing tooth loss and other severe systemic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease (endocarditis), heart attack, stroke, and others. In addition, the dentist will smooth (or flatten) the surfaces of the tooth roots to make it more difficult for bacteria to "stick" to them in the future. Sometimes an antibiotic gel is applied to the teeth during cleaning to kill hard-to-reach germs; other times, oral antibiotics or a special antibiotic mouthwash may be prescribed. Because it goes below the gum line, deep dental cleaning uses local anesthetics to numb the gums, or, if the gums are very sensitive or you are anxious, sedation may be used to keep you calm and comfortable.
In conclusion
Both routine and deep teeth cleanings play important roles in preventing infections and tooth loss caused by gum disease. If it's been a while since your last cleaning, don't delay any longer- contact us today.