Regular Cleaning and Deep Cleaning explained by Value Smiles

REGULAR CLEANING AND DEEP CLEANING

Value Smiles explains in this article about regular cleaning and Deep cleaning. Value Smiles is a affordable dentist office in Lithia Springs, GA.

It’s important to maintain good oral health. Diseases within the mouth can have a major impact on the rest of your body if not treated properly. Suffice to say, teeth cleaning is vital to maintaining the health of your teeth and gums.

Sometimes you’ll hear the term “deep cleaning” used in relation to oral hygiene. Not many people are aware of what this is and how it differs from regular cleaning. Below article explains clearly what is a regular cleaning and what is a deep cleaning.

WHAT IS REGULAR CLEANING?

Also called as Oral Prophylaxis and in short “Prophy”. A regular cleaning is a procedure done before the disease appears and is used for maintenance of the healthy gums.

Regular teeth cleaning procedure involves cleaning the bacteria, plaque and tartar buildup around the teeth not deep in the gums. In general the patients who brush and floss regularly and gets their teeth cleaned on a regular basis gets the regular cleaning at the dentist office.

The dentists at Value Smiles will take necessary X rays and do a comprehensive oral exam to determine what kind of cleaning is required. When the dentist or the dental Hygienist does the periodontal charting, which is the depth measurement around the gums will tell the situation of the gums.

Regular cleaning is done for patients with periodontal charting numbers 3 or below 3. Above 4 or 5 involves deep cleaning.

WHAT IS “DEEP” CLEANING?

Deep cleaning is used when periodontitis, or gum disease, is detected in the mouth. There is a slight gap between the gum and the root of the tooth in everyone, which can healthily be up to 3 millimeters deep.

People who have periodontitis instead have “pockets” that are 5mm deep or more. These pockets between gum and tooth collect bacteria and slowly cause the tooth to become loose, and bone to deteriorate.

Gum disease can have many causes, such as poor hygiene, excess plaque buildup, smoking, genetic predisposition, and even as a result of certain medications or medical treatments.

There are two parts to a deep cleaning: scaling and root planing. Scaling is the removal of plaque and tartar buildup from the surface of the tooth, and inside the pocket. There are many tools that can be used including lasers, ultrasonic instruments and manual scraping tools called scalers.

The second part of deep cleaning is root planing, involves removing buildup from the root of the tooth. This involves going deep into the gum pocket.

A gum pocket can be formed when there is a large amount of bacteria and tartar under the gum.

Deep cleaning typically involves two appointments plus a follow up to monitor the health of your mouth. If you’re taking good care of your mouth after your treatment, you shouldn’t need to worry about any recurrence of the gum disease.

AT HOME CLEANING

Regularly cleaning helps to prevent plaque building up on your teeth. Plaque buildup can lead to periodontitis, or gum disease, which can ultimately result in missing teeth, lost bone, and even cardiovascular problems.

Brushing your teeth both helps remove tartar and stop it building up. Flossing cleans the hard to reach areas between your teeth that can easily trap food and feed bacteria. Done regularly, they’ll keep you in good oral health and prevent issues such as gum disease.

PROFESSIONALS DOING TEETH CLEANING

A certified Dental Hygienist does the professional dental cleaning by removing the plaque and tartar. Even though patients brush and floss regularly can develop tartar. Only a professional dental cleaning done periodically can maintain healthy gums and teeth.

Generally a dentist or the dental hygienist will let you know how often you have to get the teeth cleaning done professionally but most often it is every 6 months in regular patients and every 3 months for deep cleaning patients.

WHAT HAPPENS IF TEETH ARE NOT CLEANED?

1. Bacteria in the plaque can cause periodontal disease
2. Bacteria in the plaque can cause Tooth Decay
3. Developing Plaque and Tartar causing stains and discoloration
4. Plaque and Tartar causes Bad Breath
5. Tobacco stains and food stains develop

ORAL HYGIENE INSTRUCTIONS

1. BRUSH your teeth twice a day
2. FLOSS your teeth at least once a day
3. FLORIDE TOOTH PASTE for brushing your teeth
4. MOUTH WASH at least once a day
5. LIMIT SNACKS and eat HEALTHY DIET
6. Visit Value Smiles Dentist regularly

If you have any questions about the teeth cleaning please contact us at 770-489-9141 or visit us at WWW.MYVALUESMILES.COM. We have same day appointments in most situations. We accept most major dental insurances. We are conveniently located at 2635 Lee Road, Suite C4, Lithia Springs, GA-30122. We are in the Publix plaza at the intersection of Fairburn Road and Lee Road. Value Smiles provide Affordable Dental Care with Excellent Customer Service to patients in Lithia Springs, Douglasville, Austell, Mableton, Powder Springs and surrounding areas.