Deep Teeth Cleaning and Scaling in Scarborough
Everyone is different and so are their teeth. We at Ora Dental understand that what works for one person may not be what another needs. That even carries over to how we clean your teeth.
Some people in Scarborough have reasonably good teeth with little tartar and plaque. Others have significant plaque and may even have the beginnings of gum disease. There are also those with severe issues that could be quite serious.
There isn’t one kind of teeth cleaning to address all these problems. A dentist or hygenist uses one of four types of cleanings that address various stages of mouth problems.
Most people will get a general dental cleaning from their dentist. This is also called a prophylaxis dental cleaning, meaning “to prevent disease.” It’s a preventive measure against problems like gum disease and tooth decay.
During this teeth cleaning, a dentist or hygenist removes tartar and plaque from teeth with a water stream or a dental scaler. Those who have maintained dental visits typically only need this type of treatment.
A dentist may advise a deep cleaning to clean plaque and tartar from the gum pockets as well as teeth. Also called scaling and root planing, this is most often used to treat gingivitis and periodontitis.
A deep cleaning can be done in one appointment although it can take an hour or more. It may require several appointments if your dentist is treating periodontitis. Severe cases may even require a local anesthetic.
This type of clean means the dentist will be going below the gum line to clean out the pockets that fill with tartar, plaque, and even debris. This reduces gum inflammation. The dentist will then do planing, or smoothing out tooth roots so the gums reattach to the teeth. This eliminates the gum pockets.
Those who have periodontitis will need cleanings more often than most people. These treatments treat gum disease by removing tartar, and plaque from gum pockets as well as the surfaces. This isn’t significantly different from other cleanings except it must happen more often to combat gum disease.
These are heavy-duty procedures that are used when there is an enormous amount of tartar and plaque. The typical patient that needs this is those who haven’t gone to a dentist in years or who have had bad oral hygiene.
An electric tool is used in this type of cleaning to loosen the tarter. General cleaning is done once the plaque and tartar are loosened.
The Process of Teeth Cleaning
Going to a dentist for teeth cleaning doesn’t just involve cleaning. A dentist, like ours at Ora Dental in Scarborough, will first give you an exam and take X-rays if needed before they work on your teeth.
This is an important part of the appointment because it will indicate if there are other more serious problems going on inside your mouth.
Most basic teeth cleanings are done by a hygenist. A dentist will typically perform deep cleanings, periodontal cleanings, and gross debridement cleanings.
We will then clean your teeth according to the dentist’s recommendation based on the exam. All cleanings will involve a scaler, which is a metal tool used to scrape plaque and tartar from teeth.
After cleaning with the scaler is done, a hygienist will use a high-powered electric toothbrush with gritty toothpaste to clean your teeth again. It will make a grinding sound but removes anything the scaler left behind. It may feel like the hygenist is sanding your teeth but they aren’t removing any enamel. It just cleans up the tartar and other matter left from the scaling.
The hygenist will give your teeth an expert flossing. Flossing done by a hygenist is different from what you do at home because they are more efficient in getting extra debris from between your teeth.
The hygenist will have you swish a rinse in your mouth, and then apply a fluoride treatment.
Why Wait?
Anyone who has had their teeth cleaned knows how good they feel afterward. They feel smooth and clean on your tongue. Your mouth feels fresh too. Some people are afraid to go to the dentist. Others who have put off a dental visit for so long that they worry about what the dentist or staff will say. They know they have lots of plaque but don’t want to explain why they haven’t had it corrected before now.
You don’t need to have any fears about the exam, the cleaning or what our staff may think. We at Ora Dental in Scarborough are here to serve you and ensure you have the best experience possible during your exam and your cleaning. Call our office today and make an appointment for your exam and cleaning!
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Teeth Cleaning FAQs
Ora Dental provides four types of teeth cleaning services:
- General Dental Cleaning: A preventive measure to get rid of plaque and tartar.
- Deep Cleaning (Scaling and Root Planing): Used to treat gingivitis and periodontitis, focusing on cleaning below the gum line.
- Periodontal Maintenance Cleaning: Regular cleans specially for patients who possess gum disease.
- Gross Debridement Cleaning: Aimed for patients with a lot of plaque and tartar, generally the result of ignoring dental care for some time.
The duration varies based on the type of cleaning:
- General Cleaning: Approximately 30 minutes.
- Deep Cleaning: An hour or more; may require multiple appointments for severe cases.
- Gross Debridement Cleaning: May take longer due to extensive plaque and tartar removal.
- A dental exam and possibly X-rays.
- Removal of plaque and tartar using a scaler.
- Cleaning with a high-powered electric toothbrush and gritty toothpaste.
- Polishing and flossing to ensure a thorough clean.