subject: Experiencing A Deep Cleaning From A Periodontist [print this page] If you have ever suffered from sore or bleeding gums, chances are you had gum disease. While you can visit your regular dentist for mild cases of gum disease, any type of advanced cases need to be seen by a periodontist. Just as you wouldnt see a plastic surgeon for a broken arm, you need to see the right dentist for the right tooth or gum problem. Getting treatment and proper cleaning from the right type of dentist will give your mouth a better chance at completely healing.
Oral health is incredibly important. Because your mouth is the main gateway to many of the organs in your body, it is imperative to keep it healthy. The way a mouth becomes unhealthy is through plaque and bacteria. Proper brushing and flossing techniques should help keep any plaque and bacteria at bay, but it is not always possible, especially if you are in a high risk group for gum disease.
When you visit a periodontist for gum disease, you will probably be given several options, depending on the severity of your gum disease. One of these options includes a deep cleaning, also called a scaling and root planing. This is a cleaning that can only be performed by a dentist who specializes in gums because it is much more intricate than a general cleaning.
During the deep cleaning, the plaque is removed from the teeth and gums through a method called scaling. Scaling is a way to scrape plaque off the teeth below the gum line. This is an area that a normal cleaning or tooth brushing could reach. Scaling also scrapes off the plaque above the gum line. Once the scraping is complete, the periodontist will perform root planing. This procedure removes the germs that have set into the roots of the teeth and that cause gum disease. All plaque and bacteria is scraped off the roots to help the patient heal from the gum disease.
A deep cleaning is more painful than a regular cleaning performed by a dentist. Patients can expect to experience soreness, bleeding and some swelling after undergoing a deep cleaning. This is mainly due to the extent that the periodontist has to go beneath the gums to rid your body of the unwelcome bacteria that is causing your gum disease. After the deep cleaning is finished, it is typically recommended to have more frequent regular cleanings to prevent the need for another deep cleaning in the future.
