Perio Cleanings
Calculus
Calculus (also known as tartar) is the hardened form of plaque. Once plaque hardens, it cannot be removed by brushing alone and must be removed by a health care professional.
Inside plaque and calculus lives bacteria which feeds on the sugars you eat and drink. This bacteria releases toxins that cause gingivitis (red, swollen, bleeding gums) which will eventually lead gum disease, if not removed. During this stage, the gums will begin to peel away from the tooth, leaving pockets/spaces for calculus and bacteria to get caught in.
If a patient has gum disease, this calculus and plaque build-up has made its way underneath the gum tissue, along the tooth root. This makes it nearly impossible to access and remove with a regular toothbrush. At this point in time, a deep cleaning will be recommended.
Scaling and Root Planing
Scaling and root planing is also known as a perio cleaning/deep cleaning. During a cleaning, the dental hygienist will remove dental plaque and calculus on your teeth. But, unlike a typical cleaning, a perio cleaning/deep cleaning means that the hygienist will especially target plaque and calculus build-up trapped in the area underneath your gums, along the tooth root.
A deep cleaning generally takes more time than a typical cleaning so your dental hygienist may schedule extra time or clean a quarter or half of your mouth at a time.
This procedure can either be done with a manual scraping instrument or helped with the use of an ultrasonic tool. An ultrasonic tool is a tiny vibrating wand that breaks up the plaque.
For added comfort, your dental hygienist may also use a local anesthetic during the procedure. The local anesthetic will “numb” the area and make the treatment more comfortable for you.
Scaling Root Planing
Why should I get a deep cleaning?
For people with moderate to severe gum disease, a deep cleaning will be recommended by either your dentist or hygienist in order to remove calculus and bacteria trapped underneath your gums. For some patients with early stages of gum disease, a deep cleaning may be enough to treat their gum disease. However, for those with more advance cases, a deep cleaning may be performed first, before a surgery.
If a deep cleaning is recommended, it is important to follow through with the treatment to stop the gum disease from getting worse. In advanced cases of gum disease, the bone supporting your teeth is destroyed and the teeth will begin to shift, loosen, and fall out.
Our goal, as dental care professionals, is to control any infection that may be present, to stop the progression of disease, and to reverse as much of the damaging effects of gum disease as possible.
Risks
Although there are risks associated with scaling and root planing, if the treatment is recommended, the benefits of the procedure outweigh the risks.
If the treatment is successful, the inflammation associated with your gingivitis/gum disease will go away, which is great! However, this means that gums may shrink and recede following the procedure. The more severe the initial inflammation, the more gum recession that will occur. When gums recede, teeth may also become more sensitive to hot and cold temperatures.
Although some discomfort following scaling and root planing is normal, some rare complications include excessive pain, bleeding, and swelling.
Some people may have conditions that increase their risk of developing a severe infection. You may be required to take antibiotics before/after the procedure if you have certain heart problems, have an impaired immune system, have had major surgeries, or have artificial body parts (such as a heart valve or hip).
