Most of us have the importance of good oral hygiene drummed into us from an early age. Brushing for the required two minutes twice a day can and should start from the moment a child gets their first teeth. However, as we get older we can add further stages into our cleaning routine so that we can be certain that we are doing everything in our power to ensure we have the healthiest possible teeth. Most of us also diligently attend regular professional cleans with our dentist or hygienist. With unfettered access and an array of precise tools at their disposal, our dentist can provide a comprehensive and thorough cleaning that simply isn’t possible to achieve at home.

Nevertheless, there may come a time when Dr. Brent Stanley advises you that you need a deep dental clean. Many people don’t understand the difference between a deep dental cleaning and regular cleaning. However, a deep dental cleaning is significantly different and can sometimes be the only treatment that stands between you retaining or losing your teeth. Here’s why.

Regular dental cleaning

Professional dental cleanings are performed by Dr. Brent Stanley and should be undertaken once or twice each year. The purpose of these cleanings is to help you to maintain healthy teeth and gums. The clean itself focuses above and along the gum line, removing any plaque that tends to accumulate in this area before it can penetrate beneath the gums. When this happens, it is known as gum disease, periodontitis or periodontal disease, depending on the severity of the condition.

Deep dental cleaning

Deep dental cleaning is recommended for patients who have plaque extending beyond the gum line and are suffering from some degree of gum disease. The way that Dr. Brent Stanley can tell if you require deep cleaning is by measuring a part of your gum known as the periodontal pockets. These are microscopic gaps that form along the gum line, where food debris and bacteria can accumulate. If this pocket is less than a few millimeters deep, a regular cleaning should suffice. However, if these pockets extend 4mm or beyond, then you will require a procedure called root scaling and planing.

Root scaling and planing is another name for a deep dental clean. The procedure focuses on removing all bacteria from these pockets, which should prevent the gum disease from worsening. Scaling and root planing usually takes place after the patient has been given a local anesthetic, and sometimes requires more than one appointment to ensure that all of the bacteria has been successfully removed.

What happens if gum disease is left untreated?

It is essential that patients who have deep periodontal pockets seek treatment as soon as possible. Although the early symptoms of gum disease are mild and have little to no impact on your day to day life, as the condition worsens, the symptoms become much more unpleasant. Left untreated, eventually gum disease can lead to severe infections that can enter the bloodstream and spread throughout the body, acute pain and an impact on your ability to use your mouth, and even loss of teeth and bone in the jaw.

If you are recommended for a deep dental cleaning, don’t hesitate to contact and make your appointment with Dr. Brent Stanley. Doing so could protect your long term dental and general health.