Deep Cleaning Teeth

Periodontics

Periodontal treatment is the prevention and treatment of gum disease, also known as periodontal diseases. Those gum diseases include:

  • Gingivitis: inflammation of the gums
  • Periodontitis: A serious inflammation of the fibers and bone that hold the teeth in place
  • Gingivitis, if left uncontrolled, often progresses to periodontitis.

What treatments work for gum diseases?

Non-surgical periodontal treatment

  • Involves a procedure called scaling and root planing. It’s also known as “deep cleaning teeth.”  or dental deep cleaning. In this procedure, we numb up the teeth in question. We then carefully scale and remove bacterial and tartar accumulations on the teeth and under the gums, which are firmly attached to the teeth roots. By removing these toxins, the inflammation will subside and the tissues will reattach to the root surface, giving you back proper periodontal support. This is often the first line of treatment for peridontitis. Scaling and root planing has stood the test of time, and is considered a gold standard. After the procedure is done, it is crucial for you to maintain good hygiene at home, or the gum disease may return. You may experience some temporary and mild pain or sensitivity. Typically an over-the-counter pain reliever is sufficient.

Surgical treatment 

  • Is usually performed by a gum specialist, also known as a periodontist. Surgery often is reserved for advance cases of periodontitis. In gum surgery the gums are opened up with an incision, and bacterial accumulations and diseased bone and tissues are careful removed using a drill. The gums are then sutured back up.

Extraction and implants: 

  • Sometimes, if the disease is too advanced, the tooth may not be savable. We may recommend an extraction, followed by a bone graft, followed by a thorough evaluation for possible implant placement. See implant section for more info.

Remember your at-home dental care: your gum health depends on it

Even those effective procedures are useless if you do not maintain good oral hygiene and come in for regular dental checkups. For patients who received scaling and root planing, we often recommend coming in every 3-4 months for perio-maintenance cleanings. At these appointments we will chart the progression of the gum disease, and look for relapses or improvements. Follow-up appointments are crucial.

Gum Health

Are you suffering from periodontal or gum diseases? Deep teeth cleaning procedure might be the best solution to cure and prevent the problem.

Good oral hygiene is an essential part of your overall wellbeing, and for this, regular checkups are important. However, if you ignore your dental cleaning appointments for some time, it is quite possible to suffer from various oral health issues.

Deep cleaning teeth procedures not only treat gum disease but also ensures relief from them. This is a nonsurgical treatment, also referred to as “dental scaling and root planing.”

At Pure Dental Arts, you can experience pain-free deep teeth cleaning. Our oral healthcare experts patiently remove the plaques, calculus, or tartar from the teeth roots and prevent other bacterial toxins from spreading.

The process is straightforward for our professional team. Other than that, we can also perform all types of periodontal treatments using the latest technology.

If you are searching for comprehensive deep cleaning teeth and good dental hygiene services in Seattle, WA, then you are at the right place.

Most people worry about cavities above all, but poor gum health is even more likely to result in lost teeth.  Even worse is that many people have periodontal disease without even knowing it.

We offer a gum exam at every visit to make sure your gums are free of disease.

How can I keep my gums healthy?

Flossing is the most important step you can take. When plaque gets stuck between your teeth it can attack your gums. Your toothbrush can never get into the spaces you can floss. You should floss at least twice a day, right after brushing your teeth.

A good adjunct (or backup treatment) for flossing would be the use of a WaterPik device. It can help flush out large pieces of food debris that floss may otherwise have a harder time removing. This is especially useful in individuals with gum recession and/or extensive restorations (like crowns/bridges) that may trap excess food debris. However, a WaterPik is not a substitute for flossing!

You also can fight infection by using a good mouthwash. Mouthwash is not a substitute for brushing and flossing, but it can kill some bacteria.

Regular check-ups are important, too. There are spaces a dentist can reach that you can’t reach even with floss. Also, some people have a genetic predisposition to gum disease. For such people regular professional cleaning is the best way to keep gums healthy.

Once you book an appointment with the dentists at Pure Dental Arts, we will conduct a thorough checkup. Afterward, we can remove the plaque and tartar build-up on the roots via deep teeth cleaning. The periodontal scaling and root planing process also help remove the bacteria growth on your gum line and prevent the advancement of gum disease.

Some signs of severe gum disease are:

·         Bleeding and swollen gums

·         Having a consistent bad taste in the mouth

·         Receding gum line

·         Having sensitive teeth

·         Paining sensation while chewing

·         Gums turning red

How do I know if I have gum disease?

If your gums are red, puffy, painful, or bleeding you should schedule a check-up right away. Those are all signs of gingivitis, the earliest stage of gum disease.

As gum disease progresses it becomes periodontitis. Once you have periodontitis your gums will begin receding from your tooth root. You may even lose some of your jaw bone as the condition deteriorates. We can track the disease state by measuring the depth of small pockets that form between your gums and your teeth. The deeper the pockets, the greater the progression of the disease.

Advanced gum disease robs your teeth of the soft tissue and bony support they need to stay in place. Allowing the disease to progress puts you at high risk of tooth loss.

Some people don’t get any pain or bleeding, so it’s possible to have gum disease without knowing it. Regular check-ups will help you maintain your gum health.

Can gum disease be cured?

Gum disease can be treated, but not cured. Left alone, it tends to come back.

We can treat it in one of three ways. The first is through a non-surgical procedure called scaling and root-planing/deep cleaning teeth. This dental deep cleaning method gets at the tartar under the gumline, giving your gums a clean surface to reattach to. With good follow-up care you can keep the disease from returning. We usually recommend patients come back every three or four months for a maintenance cleaning.

Gum surgery and gum grafts may be necessary if the disease progresses too far. If you begin losing jaw bone you may lose teeth. Sometimes we recommend an extraction to preserve the health of the surrounding gums, teeth, and bone.  Dental implants can help, but a bone graft and a gum graft may be necessary before we can place the implants.

 

For healthier gums, contact Pure Dental Arts in Seattle WA

 

Is Deep Teeth Cleaning Worth It?

Protects the Roots

Dentists often recommend deep teeth cleaning for a separated gum line, especially if the gap is more than 5 mm. You may need to book an appointment with the dentist, and after thorough gum or periodontal scaling, the tartar build up is removed.

Ensures Healthy Gums

The mark of a healthy set of gums or teeth is the pocket that is within 3mm. When this pocket gets wider, problems occur. This can aggravate the situation, causing various gum problems, like gingivitis. Gums can become inflamed, irritating the gingiva or the gum around the base of the teeth.

If left untreated, it can cause bleeding and swollen gums, tooth decay, etc. Deep teeth cleaning performed by a professional dental hygienist can reduce gum problems, fortifying its protection. They will also help your gums reattach to the teeth.

Prevents Loss of Tooth

If you are suffering from weakened teeth and gum, proper deep teeth cleaning can help. This standard dental procedure will ensure that your teeth do not become loose or fall out prematurely. By restoring the gums to their previous condition and preventing gum recession, the dental hygienist can protect your teeth, granting you a long-lasting confident smile.

Solves the Issues with Bad Breath

Continuous tartar and plaque build-up do not just damage the appearance and health of your gums and teeth, but it also impacts your breath. Since bacteria can form easily when the plaque and calculus are left uncleaned for too long, this causes bad breath. Even gingivitis or swollen gum can add to the problem.

Getting your teeth deep cleaned at regular intervals (1-2 years) can solve the problem. The process involves deep gum cleaning, which, along with regular cleaning, can prevent bad breath. However, you may have to book separate appointments for them

What Happens During Deep Cleaning Teeth: Our Procedures

Removing the sticky plaques from the teeth is a tricky business, and your regular brushing alone will not suffice. It occurs due to the mixing of the saliva with sticky foods. Thankfully, our expert dental hygienists have experience with such cases.

Deep teeth cleaning, or periodontal scaling and root planing, is a standard procedure and part of your regular dental checkup and treatment.

If you are keen on discovering our entire deep teeth cleaning process, dive right into the details.

Gum Scaling and Root Planing

Deep teeth cleaning involves gum scaling and root planing for cleaning the plaque and calculus or tartar trapped within the gap between gums and teeth. The cleaning process does not take more than one to two hours on average for most patients.

Once your dentist performs the procedure, all the plaque and tartar are removed from underneath the gumline. The dentist will also remove any build-up on the roots of your teeth.

As a result, the gap between the teeth and gums decreases, and your gums can reattach to your teeth.

Application of Antibiotics

Depending on the patient’s condition, the dentist may prescribe antibiotics after the procedure. This is especially true for immunocompromised patients, as the infection risk increases after the treatment.

However, this is done entirely at the doctor’s discretion since the antibiotics are preventive measures. But you should not worry!

Our doctors at Pure Dental Arts take the patient’s complete medical history into account before prescribing any treatment. The antibiotics are only recommended for a limited period after the procedure. It can also help prevent future plaque development due to bacterial growth.

Consider the medications as supplements to the gum scaling and root planing process. However, you must never apply them as an independent treatment or without consulting dental professionals.

Post-Procedure Additional Treatment

Apart from scaling teeth and gums, root planing (deep cleaning), and antibiotics, your doctor may also prescribe some additional treatment. This involves taking some primary care at home and having a balanced diet.

For instance, you may be asked to eat softer foods for a few days after the procedure. So, you may need to include yogurt, mashed potatoes, cream soups, oatmeal, smoothies, etc.

You may also need to avoid extremely hot or cold food and beverages for the time.

There are few pain-relieving medications that you can get from over-the-counter medicine shops. For example, acetaminophen and ibuprofen can help with inflammation. You may even be prescribed to rinse the mouth thoroughly with warm salt water. Also, use a soft toothbrush after a deep clean.

You should consider getting a follow-up appointment at our dental clinic for the best results.

Is a Deep Teeth Cleaning Painful?

Is scaling and root planing painful? If this is your concern, let us assure you that this is not a major surgery, like a complex dental restoration, dental crown replacement, or dental implants. The low-risk procedure is nothing to worry about!

However, to relieve you from any discomfort, your dentist will provide local anesthesia to ease the pain. The sessions are spread over based on the severity of the periodontal diseases and the sensitivity problem. So, you may need to book more than one appointment.

After the deep cleaning, some common issues patients face are swollen gums, minor bleeding, and sensitivity in the teeth and gums. This is why your dentist may suggest over-the-counter painkillers and eating softer foods.

At Pure Dental Arts, we take a holistic approach to the treatment, no matter how basic or complex. Our doctors ensure that our patients heal entirely and can get back to leading their regular life as soon as possible.

Deep Teeth Cleaning Is Not Like Routine Cleaning

Despite being a standard dental procedure, Scaling and root planing or deep cleaning is not the same as a routine cleaning method.

In a routine cleaning procedure, the primary focus is on the restoration of the health of your teeth. This involves common stains, tartar, and plaque removal.

But the, preventative dental care will not suffice in preventing periodontal diseases. These diseases occur due to negligence in the routine cleaning, causing plaque, stain, and tartar build-up.

It can impact the root surfaces of your teeth, gum line, and crowns. Other major complications include localized gingival inflammation, tooth decay, and significant damage to the soft tissues supporting your teeth.

Aggravated situations can cause periodontal pockets to form that can impact your quality of life, compromising the functionality and aesthetics of your pearly whites.

This is where the deep teeth cleaning process comes to play. Our professionals can ensure a healthy tissue environment and help you return to your normal lifestyle.

How long does it take for gums to heal after scaling and root planing?

It can take up to six weeks after deep teeth cleaning for you to retain your normal lifestyle and diet. Once the process is completed, you will feel slight discomfort due to the exposed areas. But this is a temporary discomfort and nothing to lose sleep over.

How Long Does a Root Planing and Scaling Take?

It all comes down to the individual patient’s condition. Generally, the scaling and root planning process can be completed in one to four visits. Since it causes discomfort for the patient, doctors may divide the process into different sessions to ease the pain.

Are You Awake for Scaling And Root Planing?

Yes, you will remain awake during the deep cleaning process since the dental professional only applies a local or topical anesthetic to numb the area.

Next step: a complimentary gum consultation to see if you need deep cleaning for your teeth.

Pure Dental Arts provides personalized care and we make it easy to obtain the treatment you need, with flexible financing. We also offer Saturday hours and extended hours during the week, for your convenience. Please contact our Queen Anne, Seattle dental office to arrange a complimentary consultation.