To stay in good oral health, you need a good oral hygiene routine. This includes brushing your teeth twice a day, flossing every day, and seeing your dentist twice a year for professional cleanings.
These healthy habits keep your breath fresh and your teeth and gums free of disease and infection.
But if your dentist suggests a deeper cleaning at your biannual office visit, you might be wondering why and what a deep cleaning entails.
At Avalon Dental in San Ramon, California, our team, led by Dr. Cliff Broschinsky, is passionate about what deep dental cleanings can do for your oral health. In this month’s blog, we explore what’s included in a deep dental cleaning as part of our general dentistry services and the reason you may need one.
During a regularly scheduled dental cleaning, we remove a sticky film made of saliva and food (plaque) and hardened plaque (tartar) from the visible portion of each tooth (crown) before polishing away surface stains.
For these cleanings, we use professional-grade tools to prevent the development of gum disease and tooth decay by eliminating dangerous plaque and tartar buildup you can’t remove on your own.
But if we notice signs of advanced gum disease (periodontitis), such as bleeding gums, receding gums, or loose teeth, we may recommend a deeper cleaning, otherwise known as scaling and root planing.
When you are in the early stages of gum disease, plaque and tartar build right by your gum line, and we can easily remove the material during a regular cleaning.
But if the plaque and tartar are allowed to continue building, they move below your gum line, infecting your teeth’s root and bone structures and causing your gums to separate from your teeth.
The scaling part of deep dental cleaning is when we remove all the plaque and tartar from above and below your gum line. During root planing, we smooth out the surfaces of your tooth’s root to not only prevent future plaque buildup but also encourage your gums to reattach.
You may need scaling and root planing sooner rather than later if you have any of these telltale periodontitis symptoms:
You can usually avoid the need for a deep dental cleaning if you visit us for cleanings twice a year. Getting regular dental cleanings guarantees that plaque and tartar won’t be able to build up and infect your gums and tooth roots.
If it’s been a while since your last teeth cleaning, don't delay in scheduling your next one. Book an appointment with our team by calling our San Ramon, California, office or using our online scheduler today.
