Dental Cleanings

What are dental cleanings?

Dental cleanings happen during routine visits to Stein Dental Care. In fact, most dental professionals agree that you should come in once every six months for a routine cleaning and exam.

Professional dental cleanings go further than your normal brushing and flossing at home. While they include brushing and flossing, your hygienist is extremely thorough and uses a powerful electric brush and gritty toothpaste to polish your teeth. This happens after they  remove plaque and tartar buildup, which mainly occurs around hard-to-reach areas such as between your teeth or around your back molars.

By keeping up with your routine dental cleanings, you can prevent oral health conditions like cavities, gum disease, and tooth staining and discoloration. 

What are deep dental cleanings?

Deep dental cleanings are part of periodontal care, which treats a severe type of gum disease called periodontitis. A deep cleaning involves two steps:

Scaling

During scaling, the Hygienist uses a handheld ultrasonic scaler to remove plaque buildup from the surfaces of your teeth, basically anything above the gumline. 

Root planing

Root planing is the second step of a deep cleaning. The Hygienist uses the same ultrasonic scaler to remove tartar deposits from below the gumline and around the roots of your teeth. 

What are the benefits of deep dental cleanings?

Getting a deep dental cleaning at Stein Dental Care is very beneficial. Scaling and root planing can:

• Treat and prevent gingivitis or periodontitis
• Improve overall oral health
• Improve the way your gums and teeth look
• Reduce or eliminate persistent bad breath
• Prevent chronic dental infections

Additionally, getting a deep cleaning while any gum infection is in its early stages is much easier than some of the other intensive treatments for periodontitis like gum surgery. 

When do I need deep dental cleanings?

Either at your initial visit or once every six months during your regular dental cleanings, Dr. Stein will examine your teeth for signs of periodontitis. One of the key indications is gum recession, which causes your teeth to look longer. Other signs of gum disease that may require scaling and root planing for treatment include: 

• Gums that bleed easily 
• Swollen gums
• Red or purple gums
• Bad breath
• Pus leakage from under your gums
• Painful chewing
• Loose teeth

Book an appointment with Dr. Stein right away if you experience symptoms of periodontitis in order to avoid more serious complications like spreading the infection or losing a tooth. 

To schedule your next cleaning with Dr. Stein, call Stein Dental Care or book an appointment online today.