Why Do I Need a Deep Cleaning?

A deep cleaning, or scaling and root planning, is needed to remove all hardened bacteria (tarter), from below the gum line.  The goal upon removal is to promote: bacteria reduction, healthy gum attachment to the tooth and stop the progression and spread of periodontal disease.

Periodontal disease is an infection of the gum and bone that holds your teeth in place.  If untreated, it can lead to tooth loss.  Periodontal disease is often painless and you may not even notice a problem until it’s in the advanced stages.   The good news is, when caught early and with scaling and root planning treatment you can stop the disease.

                       Periodontal Disease

• Soft plaque left on your teeth (i.e. not brushing and flossing daily) will calcify and turn hard.
• This hardened plaque is now called tarter or calculus and you can’t brush it off.  You need your dental hygienist to remove it.
• This calculus left on your teeth, causes your body to start the inflammation process.  You will notice: bad breath, bleeding, swollen or puffy gum tissue.
• You now have an infection in your gums.
• This infection will spread, tooth to tooth and infect the bone supporting your teeth.
•  Once the bone is infected you may notice teeth loosening and possibly tooth loss.

What is a deep cleaning or scaling and              root planning?

Scaling and root planning is a method of treating periodontal disease.  Using Novocain to keep you comfortable, your hygienist will remove the hardened bacteria (calculus) from way under your gum tissue.   The tooth’s root surface is the removed of calculus, debris and diseased tissue.  With the root surface now smooth, the gum tissue can heal, gum swelling is reduced and the pocket (space between your tooth and gum) will shrink.  This will make it harder for plaque to settle in under the gum tissue.   Typically scaling and root planning will take 2 visits.

After scaling in root planning is complete and the gums have healed, a re-evaluation appointment will occur.  At that appointment your hygienist will evaluate the health of your gums, home-care, measure pockets and areas of bleeding.  After all information is gathered it is then when, together we will determine how often a dental cleaning is needed.  You are at higher risk and may require closer monitoring to ensure periodontal disease is kept at bay.

You invested time and money in scaling and root planning and we want to make sure periodontal disease doesn’t come back.  Be sure to: floss daily, brush twice a day, quit smoking and maintain regular dental cleanings.