Periodontitis and Deep Cleaning Treatment
If you’ve followed a rigid dental routine for most of your life and never had a dentist refuse to clean your teeth, then you can certainly consider yourself fortunate. Though it might come as a shock to some people, there are times when your dental professional simply cannot provide you with that regularly-scheduled cleaning that you’re accustomed to receiving. Typically, this occurs when he or she discovers the presence of periodontitis during a screening. Unfortunately, when any type of gum disease infection is identified, the treatment of that infection takes priority over any routine cleaning – and that generally means that you need deep cleaning to address the problem.
What is Deep Cleaning?
A deep cleaning is designed to treat the bacterial infection present in gums suffering from periodontitis. It involves the use of techniques like scaling and root planing, which are used to extract the bacterial colonies as well as any tartar and other debris that may have settled in beneath the gum line. Tartar, or calculus, needs to be removed to ensure that it doesn’t provide bacteria with a safe hiding place along the gums. Unfortunately, tartar is not easy to remove with your regular hygiene techniques, and requires regular dental cleaning to keep at bay.
The whole purpose of deep cleaning is to eliminate the bacteria and debris that can provoke the immune response and harmful inflammation that causes so much damage for patients with periodontitis. Until this intervention is complete, dentists are unable to provide you with the normal, scheduled cleanings and other treatment that you need.
How Does It Differ from Routine Cleaning?
Routine cleaning is designed to focus attention on the surface of your teeth, between the teeth, and along the area above your gum line. Debris is removed, the teeth are polished, and emphasis is placed on both the health and aesthetics of the teeth and gum. For patients suffering from periodontitis, this type of cleaning must be avoided because it can potentially break up bacterial colonies and cause them to be released into the bloodstream. That can result in the infection spreading to other areas of the body and creating even greater health complications.
What to Do When You’re Diagnosed with Periodontitis
It’s common for patients to discover that they have periodontitis during routine screenings or even as they’re about to get their teeth cleaned. It’s also common for patients to be upset when they learn that they can’t receive their regular cleaning at that time. If that happens to you, however, it’s important to immediately discuss options with your dentist so that your gum disease can be resolved as promptly as possible. Get the disease treated first, and worry about that regular cleaning later.
At Ebenezer Dental, we always urge our patients to focus on oral health, and that’s never more important than when you’re confronted with gum disease. If you’re as concerned about the health of your teeth as you are about their appearance, give us a call today to learn how the best dentist in Midtown Manhattan can help you to reach your oral health and hygiene goals.