If you have gum disease, regular dental cleaning isn’t enough to restore your oral health. Once bacteria breeds under the gum line of your teeth, your Odenton, Maryland, dentist will need to perform deep cleaning. Deep cleaning removes tartar and plaque build-up above and below the gum line and eliminates bacterial infection to give your gums a chance to heal. At Piney Orchard Dental, Dr. Trevor Greene offers dental deep cleaning services to residents in Odenton, Maryland, and surrounding communities.
What is Deep Cleaning?
Dental deep cleaning is used to treat the symptoms of early to moderate gum disease. It consists of two dental procedures known as scaling and root planing.
Scaling removes plaque and tartar build-up from your teeth, particularly below the gum line where bacteria breed. Dr. Greene uses special dental tools to clean your teeth and eliminate periodontal pockets that can weaken the bone structure of your teeth and put you at risk of tooth loss. Scaling is the first step to treating early gum disease.
Next, Dr. Greene will perform a root planing procedure. Root planing entails smoothing out rough spots on tooth roots to keep bacteria from accumulating on your teeth in the future. We may also apply antibacterial medicine to your teeth and gums to help cleanse your mouth of bacterial infection.
Signs You May Need Deep Cleaning
Many people overlook the symptoms of early gum disease, called “gingivitis,” as they’re often so mild they’re hardly noticeable. That’s why routine exams are so important, as your dentist can diagnose your condition early before it becomes a major issue. Early warning signs include:
- A bad taste in your mouth or bad breath that doesn’t go away when you brush your teeth
- Gums that easily bleed when you brush your teeth
- Swollen, tender gums
