Deep cleanings come with risks, so it's important to understand the benefits and procedure before making a decision. Only your dentist or dental hygienist can tell you for sure if you need a deep cleaning. If your visit to the dentist reveals significant pockets (4 mm or larger), then you are at risk of suffering from (or being in stages of) periodontal disease. This makes you a candidate for therapy (a thorough dental cleaning) and is highly recommended if you want to stop and prevent the progression of the disease.
Without treatment, the bacteria that created the bags in the gums will continue to create plaque, tartar, and even bone loss. A deep dental cleaning is necessary when there is a significant amount of bacteria and tartar accumulation on the surface of the teeth. Once pockets form due to gum disease, bacteria and tartar begin to fill them. If not removed, periodontal disease and eventually tooth loss can result.
If your dentist feels a deep cleaning is necessary, it's very important to schedule an appointment. If left untreated, gum bags will continue to grow, as will the buildup of plaque and tartar and the risk of bone loss. In addition to surgery, deep cleanings are the best way to reverse the negative effects of periodontal disease. While it's far from the most fun way to spend an hour, scraping and smoothing roots is a necessary treatment for advanced gum disease.
The early stages are called gingivitis, when bacteria that live in plaque along the gums release toxins. These toxins trigger an immune response that leads to inflammation. The gums become red and swollen and bleed easily. It's like having a tight sleeve on a shirt, Vera Tang, professor of periodontics at New York University explains.
If you don't clean the dirt regularly, the collar stretches more and more and the dirt gets deeper and deeper. Many people believe that regular dental cleanings and deep cleanings are the same thing, but there are some significant differences between the two treatments. Root smoothing is the second part of the deep dental cleaning process and involves smoothing and cleaning the roots of the teeth. However, if plaque is not removed with a brush, it hardens and turns into tartar, which can only be eradicated with professional dental cleaning.
A deep dental cleaning, sometimes called gum therapy, is a treatment that cleans between the gums and the teeth down to the roots. So what else does deep cleaning entail than the difference from regular cleaning? Is it worth talking to the dentist about deep cleaning your teeth? Let's discuss the pros and cons to get a better idea of the advantages and disadvantages of each one. When a dental professional refers to deep teeth cleaning, they often work with patients who have problems with gum disease. Deep teeth cleaning is a relatively low-risk procedure, especially when performed by an experienced dentist or dental hygienist.
Gingivitis will usually go away once the dental hygienist scrapes off plaque during regular cleaning and you take care to be more disciplined with brushing and flossing. The main purpose of regular dental cleanings is to remove plaque and calculus that build up around and slightly below the gum line.