Deep Cleanings Preserve Your Periodontal Health

If you have recently been diagnosed with periodontal disease, you aren’t alone. This common condition affects most people at some point in their lifetime. Arresting the disease process is vital to preventing more serious conditions like tooth loss and even some systemic health conditions. Today’s blog is about how a deep cleaning with our team of helpful dentists in Dallas, TX, can restore your oral health and wellness.

What is Periodontal Disease?

Periodontal disease is an inflammatory condition caused by the accumulation of plaque and tartar on the teeth and gums. The bacteria associated with it lead to the destruction of the supporting structures of your teeth. It begins with bleeding and inflammation, but as the bacteria establish themselves and become more aggressive deep pockets form around the teeth and eventually can cause tooth loss.

Deep Cleaning Versus Routine Cleaning

Many patients arrive at the dental office for their regular cleaning and discover that they really need a deep cleaning to restore health to their mouth. This happens most often when someone has gotten off schedule allowing plaque and tartar to build on the surfaces below the gums. Once this occurs, a regular cleaning will not be sufficient to remove the debris and infection from below the gums.

With a deep cleaning or scaling and root planing, special instruments and ultrasonic devices are used to gently scale harmful debris from below the gums and on the root surfaces. The ultrasonic device also helps to kill and disrupt the harmful bacteria. The patient is often numbed at the start of the appointment to ensure their comfort. Sometimes if the infection is severe enough, antibiotics or special mouth rinses are prescribed to help heal the infection more quickly.

Periodontal Maintenance Keeps Gum Disease Away

Once periodontitis has affected your mouth, it is important to keep up with regular care. The bacteria associated with it are quite aggressive and will re-infect the tissues more readily if given the chance. Factors like waiting too long for your next cleaning, high stress, or illness can cause the infection to awaken. To prevent this a three-month periodontal maintenance schedule is recommended. Every three months the hygienist will gently and thoroughly check and clean the gums to prevent re-infection.

Schedule Your Deep Cleaning Appointment

We are here to help you reach optimal oral health. If you have questions about periodontal disease or wish to schedule your next visit with our team, call us at Gentle Smiles Family Dentistry in Dallas, TX at (972)329-7645!