Regular Cleaning
- The Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) states that having a professional dental cleaning at least twice a year can improve your oral health.
- Such a regular teeth cleaning focuses on the surfaces of the teeth and between teeth, above the gum line.
- As part of your thorough Silver Screen Dental cleaning, calculus (tarter), plaque, debris and stains will be removed from at and above the gum line.
- During your regular cleaning appointment, the teeth are also polished.
- This professional dental cleaning acts to reinforce the recommended home-care oral health regimen of brushing and flossing. It also gives our professionals an opportunity to locate areas in the mouth that may need special attention
- During your cleaning session you will receive diagnostic, preventive and educational services as needed.
Deep Cleaning
Some background:
- Did you know that according to the CDC more than 64 million adults in the U.S. are living with, or have had gum disease?
- The good news is that Gum disease (gingivitis) is treatable and preventable.
- The American Academy of Periodontology recommends that every adult receive a periodontal evaluation each year to determine whether additional treatment is needed.
Definitions:
- A deep cleaning is a specific procedure performed by our dental hygienist to treat gum and periodontal disease.
- This Deep Cleaning includes Scaling and Root Planing.
- Scaling can be simply defined as the process of removing dental plaque and tartar deposits below the gum line.
- Root planing is the process of smoothening the root surfaces as well as removing any infected tooth structure, micro-organisms, toxins and more.
The best way to accurately determine if you have gum (periodontal) disease, is through periodontal charting. This is where we measure and record the “pockets” (spaces) between your teeth and gums. This helps in determining the degree of the disease as well as how much treatment is needed to bring the gums back to good health. Measurements of healthy gums fall within the 1-3 millimeter range. Deeper pockets or those that bleed indicate a problem.
Indications that a deep cleaning may be in order:Since Gum disease can be painless, it is important to be aware of the following symptoms:
- Red, swollen or tender or gums
- Gums that bleed after brushing or flossing
- Gums that have pulled away from the teeth
- Pain while chewing
- Pus coming out from around your teeth and gums
- Persistent bad breath or bad taste in mouth
- Loose teeth
The importance of a deep cleaning:
- A dental deep cleaning, or scaling and root planing, is needed in order to remove bacteria, calculus (tartar), and debris that has collected under the gum line
- Note that the presence of calculus under the gum line creates a safe haven for bacteria to collect and thrive, and cannot be removed by brushing, flossing or with a regular cleaning
- The presence of this bacteria causes an immune response from the body. This response causes inflammation intended to fight the bacterial infection
- When left untreated, the infection and inflammation will continue and advance further under the gum line. This results in loose teeth and bone loss, and ultimately, the loss of one or more teeth
