Depending upon the level of your oral health, our dentist, Dr. Coakley and Dr. Fowler may recommend a deep cleaning instead of a standard regular cleaning. The main questions that people ask regarding this procedure is why and what is the difference?
A regular dental cleaning is designed for the maintenance of healthy gums. Healthy gums have a small, shallow space between the teeth and gums. The procedure involves going into the space and cleaning it thoroughly by removing bacteria and tartar build up. When a person brushes and flosses daily, and gets their teeth cleaned on a regular basis, the bacteria and tartar build up are minimal. Healthy gums are pink in color and there is generally little or no bleeding during the cleaning.
A deep cleaning which is often known by the terms scaling or root planing is needed when there is a larger amount of tartar and bacteria under the gums. This occurs, when there is a deeper space between the teeth and gums, called a “pocket”. Pockets can develop when a person has not had their teeth professionally cleaned for a long period of time or when the person does not brush and floss on a regular basis. In addition, other health issues can also put a person at risk for developing pockets.
Pockets that measure at a certain depth are called periodontal or gum disease. Regardless of the cause, the first step to improve this condition is to have a deep cleaning to clear the pockets of the bacteria and tartar build up.
The dentist will determine what type of cleaning you will need during your initial exam by measuring the depth of the space between your teeth and gums. When you hear the dentist calling out numbers during gum measurements, you want to hear the lowest numbers. If the numbers are under 4, you will need a regular cleaning. If the numbers are 4 and above, then you may require a deep cleaning.
The best defense against needing a deep cleaning is to maintain your regular visits to our dental office in Ellijay with regular exams and cleaning.
To contact Sugars End Dental to schedule a dental appointment call 706-635-7453 or use the convenient “Contact Us” feature on our website.
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