Dental hygiene can help you in fighting bad breath and preventing gum disease. Hence it’s essential to regularly floss and brush, and visit a dentist two times a year for periodic dental cleanings. Many times, though, your Houston dentist can recommend a periodontal cleaning. Some common signs that you may require a deep cleaning include loose teeth, receding gums, and bleeding gums. Even though a deep cleaning, commonly known as root planning or periodontal scaling is quite popular, it also comes with its own risks. Here is all you should know about deep cleaning, including the pros and cons of the procedure:
What is a perio cleaning?
Periodontal cleaning procedures can help you in removing a buildup of tartar and plaque on your teeth, improving gum health, and reducing gum inflammation. Plaque is an adherent film that can form on your teeth. It holds bacteria and forms once food particles blend with saliva. You can get rid of plaque, as it collects daily on your teeth, by brushing and flossing your teeth. However, brushing cannot remove all the plaque accumulated between your teeth. If plaque is leftover, it can harden or calcify and form tartar. The collection of tartar and plaque could lead to periodontal diseases or gum disease. These include gingivitis that is essentially an inflammation of your gums. If you leave it untreated, gingivitis could even advance into periodontitis which is a severe infection that can destroy the bone which supports your teeth.
Pros of deep cleaning
You may need to get a Periodontal cleaning if you have a gum disease that can cause your gums to get away and recede from your teeth. Receding gums can even create a space deeper than 5 millimeters. If your gum disease gets worse, the space present between your teeth and gums could continue to widen. This disease could even make the bones that hold your teeth weak, and cause tooth loss or loose teeth.
If your dentist suggests a periodontal cleaning, here are the benefits of getting this procedure:
- Periodontal cleaning can help you fight bad breath.
- It can stop the development of gum disease.
- Periodontal cleaning goes a long way into protecting the roots of your teeth.
- It can help you in promoting healthy gums.
- With a Periodontal cleaning, you can even prevent tooth loss.
Cons of deep cleaning
Even though a Periodontal cleaning could treat gum disease, just like every medical procedure, it also has its risks.
Some disadvantages of getting a Periodontal cleaning session are:
- After a deep cleaning, you may experience some slight sensitivity and pain.
- It can lead to gum recession in some extreme cases.
- You run the risk of getting an infection right after the procedure.
- After deep cleaning, you also have a risk of getting nerve damage, in some extremely rare cases.
Sensitivity and pain are some of the most typical side effects of a Periodontal cleaning. Risks from this procedure are generally minimal and just last up to 5 to 7 days, however, for some extensive cases, these side effects can extend up to a few weeks.
What does a Periodontal cleaning include?
Periodontal cleanings are quite different from regular teeth cleanings. Regular teeth cleaning can remove tartar and plaque from above your gum line. On the other hand, a periodontal cleaning session can remove tartar and plaque from right below the gumline. Gum diseases can cause a wide gap or space between your gums and teeth, where plaque and tartar could get trapped. Cleaning right below your gum line can remove the buildup.
Deep cleaning involves root planning and gum scaling
Deep cleaning procedures generally take place in about two to three visits. These generally involve root planning and gum scaling. Every visit can typically take from 1 up to 2 hours. In your tooth scaling appointment, the dentist 77093 or your dental hygienist will remove tartar and plaque from right below your gum line. When you have your root planning visit, the dentist will remove tartar and plaque that can form on your teeth roots to ensure that your teeth stay supported with strong roots. This can help in reducing the space present between your gums and teeth and can help your gums in reattaching to your teeth.
Conclusion
A periodontal cleaning can help you in getting rid of bad breath. It can also promote the healing of gum diseases. Periodontal cleanings have their own risks, but it is necessary to comprehend side effects or possible complications. Even though it is a safe and common procedure, you should still expect some swelling and sensitivity afterward. If pain, bleeding, or swelling persists for more than just a few days after your procedure, you should visit the best dentist in Houston TX.
