What is a Professional Cleaning?
Thoroughly brushing and flossing every day is a crucial component of caring for our smile and maintaining fresh breath throughout the day. Bacteria forms and hardens on our oral structures daily, causing an odor if left unchecked. This hardened material must be removed to prevent it from becoming a more significant health-related issue. The key to a healthy smile is to stop these harmful substances from developing and to be proactive with our oral care.
Two office visits per year that include a standard or deep teeth-cleaning are just as important as the daily maintenance of our smile. Only a certified dental hygienist or dentist can professionally eliminate the calcified plaque and tartar that attaches to the surfaces of teeth. By following an optimal routine at home and consistently attending your dental cleanings, you can enjoy a beautiful smile for years to come.
Deep Cleaning
When gum disease has begun to affect our smile, a dentist inspects for common causes. One major contributor of periodontal issues is bacterial build-up along the roots of our teeth beneath the gum line. Over years of neglect, this accumulation of tartar begins to cause gums to become increasingly inflamed as the potential for infection goes up.
Deep cleaning, or scaling and root planing, is a heavily-involved treatment process designed to lift damaging substances from the surface of teeth from root to crown. The procedure can only be performed by a dentist and is usually completed over a stretch of several appointments for optimal efficiency.
Scaling refers to the physical removal of the plaque and calculus build-up with a specialized dental mechanism.
Planing is the subsequent step that involves rounding off the ends of the root surfaces so gums can quickly heal and naturally solidify a stronger bond with the base of the tooth.
Delivering the Right Treatment
Scaling and root planing, as opposed to standard cleanings, take much more time and intricate planning beforehand. However, both forms of dental maintenance keep our smiles healthy when paired with useful oral care routines at home.
West Valley Dental is dedicated to the satisfaction of our patients. Find out if an added regular cleaning, or scaling and root planing procedure, can help you achieve a healthier smile. Call to set up an appointment with Dr. Linda Le today!