Dental deep cleaning, also known as scaling and root planing, involves special techniques to get rid of plaque, tartar, and bacteria below the gum line down to your tooth roots. This prevents gum disease from advancing and causing tooth loss.
Deep teeth cleaning can be uncomfortable, but it shouldn't be painful. You dentist will give you a local anesthetic, either in the form of a gel or an injection, so you shouldn't feel any pain during the procedure.
A deep teeth cleaning or a dental deep cleaning procedure involves two parts – the first is gum or periodontal scaling and the second is root planing. Both aspects of the deep teeth cleaning process can be performed using electric or ultrasonic instruments or manual dentist scaling tools, or a combination of the two.
A deep dental cleaning is necessary when there is a significant amount of bacteria and tartar buildup on the surfaces of your teeth. Once pockets form from gum disease, the bacteria and tartar begin to fill these pockets. If not removed, periodontal disease and eventually tooth loss can take place.
If your visit to the dentist reveals significant pockets- those 4mm or greater, then you are at risk for (or in the stages of), periodontal disease. This makes you a candidate for the therapy (a deep teeth cleaning) and it is highly recommended if you want to stop and prevent the progression of the disease.
The average time for a deep cleaning visit is approximately 45 minutes. In most cases, a deep cleaning will take two visits to clean both sides of the mouth.
Within a week the gums will start to heal and reattach to the roots of the teeth. The initial discomfort should be gone. Full recovery and reattachment can take up to 6 or 8 weeks, but patients are usually back to normal eating, drinking, brushing, and flossing within the first week.
Should I brush my teeth after a deep cleaning? Yes, it is essential that you brush and floss to maintain good oral hygiene and keep your mouth plaque-free. However, your gums may be tender right after a deep cleaning, so make sure to go easy at first.
You can have deep cleanings whenever it feels necessary. Still, make sure you have at least two dental cleanings per year. Deep cleanings are for patients with oral issues like gum disease and tooth decay every three months. Consult with your dentist to determine how often you should have deep cleanings.
Clean the mouth before the appointment: Brushing teeth and disinfecting the mouth with an antiseptic mouthwash helps reduce the risk of infection. Bacteria is transferred into the patient's blood during the procedure, so keeping bacteria populations in the mouth to a minimum lowers the risk of infection.
Dental deep cleaning, also known as scaling and root planing, involves special techniques to get rid of plaque, tartar, and bacteria below the gum line down to your tooth roots. This prevents gum disease from advancing and causing tooth loss.
It also removes some types of stains and discoloration. A deep cleaning goes deep below the gum line to thoroughly clean pockets that have developed between the teeth and roots and the gum in order to treat periodontal disease.
Yes, the deep cleaning procedure requires local anesthesia to ensure you're comfortable through the whole procedure. However, a routine dental cleaning doesn't require any anesthesia, though you may request oral sedation if you're anxious.
While regular cleaning focuses more on the gum line to scale and polish the teeth' outer surface, deep cleaning teeth involves removing bacteria colonies and tartar from the roots of the teeth.
The disadvantages of deep cleaning teeth include nerve damage and potential infections if you have a compromised immune system. The cleaning might cause pain, and sensitivity in the treatment doesn't guarantee reattachment of your gums to the teeth. The cleaning might even cause further gum recession.
Your gums and teeth will be healing and sensitive after a deep cleaning, so avoiding certain foods is recommended.
If you need a lengthy or invasive treatment, like a deep cleaning, you will benefit from oral conscious sedation.
Can deep cleanings be done in one visit? Yes, but we do not recommend it. Deep cleaning of the entire mouth in one visit is usually discouraged for three reasons. Anesthetic – If local anesthetic is used to make the procedure painless, treating the entire mouth would require anesthesia of the entire mouth.
Deep cleaning involves gum scaling and root planing
Each visit can take 1 to 2 hours. The tooth scaling appointment is when your dentist removes plaque and tartar from below the gumline. During the root planing visit, your dentist removes plaque and tarter that forms on the roots of your teeth.
Following dental anesthesia, the lips, gums and cheeks can remain numb for up to two hours. Avoid eating or biting your lips or cheeks until the anesthesia wears off to prevent injury to the areas.
The goal of a deep cleaning is to remove the plaque and tartar that has collected below the gums. At the end of the deep cleaning, a localized antibiotic may be placed in the deep pockets. The antibiotics fight the bacteria that is causing the gum disease.
Most patients will experience some soreness and discomfort for two to three days after undergoing a deep cleaning. This is because the gums will be tender and even a little swollen due to the process of removing all of the plaque and tartar buildups.
Your teeth may be sensitive for the first 1-3 days but after that, you should pretty much be functioning normally. Therefore on average, you may want to stick to a more comfortable diet for the first 1-3 days. After that you can resume business as usual.
Tooth Decay and Tartar
Tooth decay and cavities can look like brown stains, and when plaque hardens, it forms a yellow or brown substance called tartar, which lies along the gum line.