Is Deep Dental Cleaning Necessary?

Brushing, flossing, and a mouthwash swish are the building blocks of an oral hygiene regime; adhering to it is one way to ensure your oral health stays in the best shape. However, there are times when it’s not enough, and your dental care specialist may recommend routine teeth cleaning. Sometimes, even that does not suffice and they can suggest a deeper clean. You can look out for signs that may indicate that deep cleaning has become necessary for you so that your oral health does not deteriorate. Let’s discuss this in more detail.

Is Deep Cleaning Necessary for Good Oral Health?

Deep teeth cleaning becomes necessary when there is a big chunk of plaque and tartar on your teeth that regular brushing and flossing cannot get rid of. This accumulation causes inflammation of soft oral tissues and, ultimately, gum disease. In that situation, the signs that show up include bleeding and receding gums, loose teeth, etc. What a deep dental cleaning session does is eliminate bacterial deposits from underneath the gum pockets down to the roots of your teeth, preventing the disease from advancing further. When a patient comes up with gingivitis, they offer regular dental cleaning for preventative maintenance, whereas a deep cleaning is necessary to stop the progression of periodontal disease.

Deep Dental Cleaning vs. Regular Cleaning - The Difference

Regular cleaning and in-depth teeth cleaning are 2 different types of services. The former is a routine cleaning done to maintain healthy gums and remove bacteria and tartar accumulated between teeth. This session is recommended to take place every 6 months. On the other hand, this extensive

deep cleaning is necessary

when you have significant portions of bacteria and tartar that regular cleaning cannot eliminate. Deep cleaning effectively removes plaque and tartar from the surface of teeth and gum pockets as well. It is recommended for individuals with gingivitis or a more serious case. Deep teeth cleaning is extensive and extreme compared to its regular counterpart and is performed in 2 appointments.

Deep Dental Cleaning Procedure

The procedure entails two portions: scaling of gums and root planing. It is necessary to spare 2 visits for deep dental cleaning. Each session may take around 1 to 2 hours. During

, your dentist takes out plaque and tartar from below the gum line, and when it is time for root planing, they target the tooth roots for the same thing. Both actions do wonders to reduce the size of spaces between your teeth and gums, ultimately aiding them to reattach to your teeth.

Tooth Scaling

The process starts with an ultrasonic scaling device emitting high-frequency vibrations to target the calcified deposits in teeth. The vibrating metal tip softly removes tartar build-up. Simultaneously, they also employ a water spray that effectively aims at the loosened debris within the gum pocket

Root Planing

deep cleaning is necessary to get those hidden roots of your teeth a specialized washing. During root planing, the dentist lightly lifts those gum tissues, uncovering the roots for a better picture. Next, they use small tools to scrape off tartar and smoothen the surfaces. This step aids gums to rea

What To Expect During Deep Dental Cleaning?

Here is a stepwise breakdown of what to expect when you reach for your deep teeth cleaning:

Step 1: Pre-appointment Checkup

Before you start off with deep cleaning, it is necessary to check for any disease by measuring the gap between your teeth and gums with the help of a periodontal probe. If they detect that the gap crosses 3mm, then it is taken as a sign of gum disease. Other than that, your dental care expert will also examine to see whether or not there are signs of gum bleeding or inflammation or if the teeth are loosely hanging. Gum disease is classified into 3 stages:

• Gingivitis
• Periodontitis
• Advanced Periodontitis

Usually, gingivitis is treatable without the need of anything other than a regular professionally performed cleaning; however, for periodontitis and advanced periodontitis, deep dental cleaning is necessary

For this advanced stage, you may need to get a dental x-ray done as periodontitis may cause loss of bone mass, which will be clear as crystal on an x-ray film.

Step 2: The First Appointment

It is necessary to prepare your mind for 2 sessions of deep teeth cleaning. The reason behind it is the use of local anesthetic for numbing and treating one side first and then the next in another setting. Performing cleaning on the entire mouth is difficult, and you would not be able to talk, eat, or drink water. They may use a numbing cream or inject local anesthetic right into your gums so that you do not feel any form of pain or discomfort during the cleaning process. Then, with the help of a small dental tool, the removal of tartar below the gum line will take place. If you have stubborn tartar in areas that are hard to reach, they have an ultrasonic device to dislodge it.

Step 3: The Second Appointment

When you arrive for the second visit, it is time to get treatment for the other side of your mouth. There are no deviations in the process or techniques from your previous one. Dentists often take this visit as an opportunity to review how the previously cleaned side of your mouth has responded and recovered. You can expect each deep teeth cleaning appointment to take at least 1 hour; however, it could take more, too. In case of severe infection, additional treatments in the form of antibiotics between the teeth and gums during deep cleaning may be necessary

You can employ antibiotic tablets or a strong mouthwash to treat the infection.

Step 4: Follow-up Day

Once you are through with both sessions, your dentist will pre-book a follow-up appointment to check up on your progress. The date is set around 2 weeks after your second deep dental cleaning session. During this visit, they measure the size of the spaces between your teeth and gums to see whether or not any deviations are present.

Closing Note

We hope that this blog answers most of your queries; however, in case there are still some questions in your mind, consult with our dental care experts

Dr. Saam Zarrabi, D.D.S

Dr. Yahya Mansour, D.D.S., M.S., F.A.G.D, F.I.C.O.I

. along with their team at

Rodeo Dental and Orthodontics

to learn more. We offer our services in

, so you can schedule an appointment with us at your convenience by dialing