What Happens During Deep Teeth Cleaning?
Deep cleanings are a common procedure performed on millions of people every year to help get their oral health in better condition and slow or stop the spread of gum disease. Each person’s oral health plays a significant role in their general health and poor oral health can lead to many other issues. Maintaining good oral health is a very important part of life then. In general, a person’s oral health can be maintained through regular oral hygiene practices such as brushing, flossing regularly and visiting the dentist every 6 months for checkups and cleanings. Sometimes tartar and plaque can build up behind the gums and cause problems that must be solved, before they progress to more serious issues. When this buildup happens, it can cause inflammation and eventually a bacterial infection. To solve this the dentist may recommend a deep teeth cleaning. If you need a deep cleaning, you may be wondering what it is and what happens during the procedure. Read on to learn more.
Why Does Someone Need a Deep Cleaning?
Plaque and tartar can build up behind the gums. This occurs if it is not cleared away through regular oral hygiene practices like brushing, flossing, and regular dental cleanings. Over time, this buildup can create spaces between the gums and teeth. These spaces create places for bacteria to build, which if left untreated, eventually will infect the tissues surrounding the teeth. This bacterial infection ultimately causes numerous problems including tooth and bone loss. Therefore, it is important to address the buildup and slow or stop the spread of gum disease in the mouth. Deep cleanings are designed to clear away the plaque and tartar that regular brushing, flossing, and cleanings can’t get to.
What Happens During Deep Teeth Cleaning?
Deep cleanings are performed in a dentist’s office under local anesthesia which numbs the areas of the mouth to be cleaned. This keeps the patient comfortable and pain free while allowing the dentist to work at the areas that are hard to get to and clear away the plaque, tartar, and bacteria. Once the area is numb, the dentist begins by scaling behind the gums. Scaling utilizes specialized tools that are designed to clear away plaque and tartar from under the gum line. After scaling the plaque and tartar away, the dentist will perform root planing. Root planing is designed to smooth the surfaces of the roots of the teeth. This allows the dentist to clear away any rough areas on the roots where bacteria can build. It also cleans up any left-over bacteria that has formed. Once complete, the dentist will administer an antibacterial rinse to the mouth and gums to further clear away bacteria.
Is the Procedure Painful?
The procedure itself is pain free due to the local anesthesia. It is normal to feel pressure and movement in the mouth during the procedure, however. Following the procedure, some discomfort is to be expected in the areas that were cleaned. The deep cleaning is more invasive than a regular cleaning and therefore some healing will need to happen following the procedure. This discomfort usually subsides within a few days and can generally be treated with over-the-counter pain medications.