Deep Teeth Cleaning

Treating Gum Disease Below the Gumline

When gum disease progresses beyond the earliest stage, a regular dental cleaning may no longer be enough to address the bacterial buildup beneath the gums. In these situations, we may recommend a deep teeth cleaning, also known as scaling and root planing.

At Foley Family Dentistry, we want you to understand why treatment is being recommended and what you can expect. If we find signs of periodontal disease, we will talk with you about what we see, answer your questions, and recommend care based on the health of your gums and the supporting structures around your teeth.

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Why Would I Need a Deep Cleaning?

Healthy gums fit closely around your teeth. When periodontal disease develops, inflammation can cause the gums to pull away from the teeth, creating deeper spaces called periodontal pockets. Plaque and tartar can collect within these pockets and on the tooth roots, where you cannot effectively remove them with brushing and flossing.

As periodontal disease progresses, inflammation can damage the tissues and bone that support your teeth. Without appropriate treatment and ongoing management, this damage can eventually contribute to loose teeth and tooth loss.

Scaling and root planing is a nonsurgical periodontal treatment designed to remove bacterial deposits from below the gumline and create a healthier environment for your gums to heal.

How Do We Determine If You Need Scaling and Root Planing?

Before recommending treatment, we evaluate the health of your teeth and gums. This may include measuring the spaces between your teeth and gums, checking for bleeding and inflammation, evaluating plaque and tartar buildup, and taking dental X-rays when needed to assess the supporting bone.

Periodontal pocket depth is one piece of the picture, but it is not the only factor we consider. We look at your overall periodontal health before determining whether a deep cleaning is appropriate.

If we recommend scaling and root planing, we will explain our findings and why we believe treatment is necessary.

What Happens During a Deep Teeth Cleaning?

Scaling and root planing go beyond the areas addressed during a routine preventive cleaning.

During scaling, we carefully remove plaque and hardened tartar from the surfaces of your teeth and from beneath the gumline. Specialized instruments allow us to reach areas within periodontal pockets that cannot be cleaned effectively at home.

Root planing involves thoroughly cleaning the root surfaces beneath the gums and removing deposits that contribute to periodontal inflammation. This creates a cleaner surface and gives the surrounding gum tissue an opportunity to heal.

Depending on the extent of your gum disease, treatment may be completed in sections of the mouth rather than treating every area during one appointment. Local anesthetic may be used to help keep you comfortable.

What Can You Expect After Treatment?

Your gums may feel tender or sensitive following a deep cleaning, and you may notice temporary sensitivity to hot or cold temperatures. We will give you instructions for caring for your mouth after treatment and let you know what to expect as your gums begin to heal.

After an appropriate healing period, we will evaluate how your gums have responded. Reduced inflammation, less bleeding, and improvement in periodontal pocket measurements can all help us assess the results of treatment.

Some patients may need additional periodontal treatment depending on the severity of their disease and how their gums respond.

What Are the Benefits of Scaling and Root Planing?

The primary goal of scaling and root planing is to control periodontal infection and inflammation and help protect the structures that support your teeth.

Treatment can help:

  • Remove plaque and tartar from below the gumline
  • Reduce the bacterial burden associated with periodontal disease
  • Decrease gum inflammation and bleeding
  • Help periodontal pockets become healthier and easier to maintain
  • Slow or stop further periodontal damage
  • Help protect the supporting tissues and bone around your teeth
  • Improve persistent bad breath when periodontal disease is contributing to it

Gum health is also an important part of your overall health. Research has found associations between periodontal disease and several systemic health conditions. While treating gum disease should not be viewed as a treatment for those medical conditions, keeping periodontal disease under control is an important part of caring for your health.

What Happens After a Deep Cleaning?

Scaling and root planing is often the beginning of periodontal management rather than the end. Periodontal disease is a chronic condition, and patients who have been treated for it may require more frequent professional care to help prevent the disease from becoming active again.

After your initial treatment, we may recommend periodontal maintenance visits at intervals based on your individual needs. These visits allow us to remove new bacterial buildup, monitor your gum health, and identify changes as early as possible.

Your daily home care matters, too. Consistent brushing and cleaning between your teeth work together with professional periodontal care to help you maintain the progress you have made.

Take the Next Step Toward Healthier Gums

If we recommend a deep cleaning, we will make sure you understand why it is needed and how it can help your oral health. Our goal is not simply to treat gum disease today but to help you manage your periodontal health and protect your natural teeth for the future.

Call for more information or to schedule an appointment with Foley Family Dentistry in Foley, AL.

Call (251) 257-7009