What Happens During Deep Teeth Cleaning?
Consistent, proper dental hygiene can eliminate bad breath and prevent gum disease. Therefore, it is so important to regularly brush and floss every day and see your dentist twice a year for routine professional dental cleanings.
Sometimes your dentist might recommend a deep teeth cleaning. An exam has yielded signs, such as bleeding and swollen gums, receding gums, or loose teeth, that you need a deep cleaning. A deep cleaning, also called periodontal scaling and root planing, is quite common, but can have minor risks.
Here is what you need to know about deep cleaning teeth, even the few disadvantages of the treatment.
What is Deep Teeth Cleaning?
A deep teeth cleaning will remove the buildup of plaque on your teeth below the gumline, reducing the gum inflammation and improving your gum health.
The plaque is a clear, sticky film that forms on your teeth. It contains bacteria and develops daily when food particles mix with your saliva. You can simply remove the plaque by brushing your teeth twice a day.
Brushing still does not remove all plaque, especially in between the teeth and hard to reach areas. This leftover plaque calcifies and hardens.
The accumulation of plaque, once it meets the soft tissue, will cause gum disease. This begins with gingivitis, which is inflammation. If left untreated, the gingivitis will advance to periodontitis. This is now a serious infection that destroys tissue and bone supporting the teeth.
What Does Deep Teeth Cleaning Involve?
A deep teeth cleaning differs from a routine teeth cleaning. Your regular cleaning removes the plaque above the gumline. A deep cleaning removes the plaque and tartar on the teeth below the gumline.
Deep cleaning involves teeth scaling and root planing. Deep cleanings usually take two appointments, with each visit taking 1 to 2 hours.
The tooth scaling procedure is when your dentist deliberately removes the plaque from below the gumline. The plaque is removed by scaling and the roots are returned to their smooth surface by planing. By removing the sole source of the bacteria, the infection will be eliminated.
How Long Does a Deep Cleaning Take?
The amount of time your deep cleaning will take depends on several variables.
* Whether the treatment is a partial or full-mouth cleaning.
* How severe the plaque has become.
* Your own anxiety level regarding the procedure.
* If any other medical conditions affect the treatment.
Sometimes, only a few teeth or one specific area will need a deep cleaning. Usually, for a full-mouth deep cleaning, only one-half of your mouth is done per appointment.
For a half-mouth deep cleaning, you can expect the procedure to take around 90 minutes. This also allows time for any post-treatment x-rays and to review your after-care instructions.
What Benefits Will You Experience After a Deep Cleaning?
Immediately following your deep cleaning procedure, you may encounter some discomfort and aching. After your mouth has had a few days to heal you will notice some of the following improvements:
* A decrease or elimination of bleeding when brushing and flossing.
* Your bad breath is gone.
* Your gums are heathy, not swollen, puffy, or irritated.
* Any oral pain or discomfort is gone.
* You have stopped the loss of bone around your teeth.
* Any teeth that felt loose are now feeling more secure.
* The increased tooth sensitivity is gone.