My Dental Hygienist Told Me I Need A Deep Cleaning.
“A deep cleaning is necessary when there is active periodontal disease, or periodontitis, in the mouth.”
WHEN AND WHY?
A deep cleaning is necessary when there is active periodontal disease, or periodontitis, in the mouth. In the dental field, the technical term for a “deep cleaning” is Scaling and Root Planing. To put it simply, when there is calculus (hardened food, plaque, etc.) present below your gum tissue that you can no longer access at home and we cannot access with a routine cleaning, a deep cleaning is indicated. According to the ADA, “chronic periodontitis is a prevalent condition, affecting 47.2% of the adult U.S. population aged 30 years or older.”
WHAT HAPPENS DURING THE CLEANING?
You will receive some sort of anesthetic to keep you comfortable during your visit. In some cases, an injected anesthetic is used; however, we try to use a numbing jelly whenever possible to avoid the extra stick to our patients! After you are numb, hand and ultrasonic scalers are used to remove the plaque resting on the root surface of the tooth.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Your hygienist will recommend you be seen every three to four months for a periodontal maintenance visit. The main difference between the “regular” cleaning and the periodontal maintenance visit is the nature of the cleaning. The regular cleaning, also called a prophylaxis, is preventive in nature and the periodontal maintenance cleaning is therapeutic in nature. The periodontal maintenance cleaning is intended to stabilize chronic periodontitis – decreasing pocket depths, eliminating bleeding upon probing and putting a stop to bone loss. While the prophylaxis is just intended to remove stain and calculus above the gum line.
If you are diligent with your home care, meaning you brush and floss daily and stay current with your professional dental cleanings, it is likely that you will be able to return to the routine cleanings as long as the periodontal disease has stabilized. In the future, additional deep cleanings might be necessary if the condition has not stabilized.
Please contact our office for evaluation if you have any concerns regarding your dental health or deep cleanings.