What Is Deep Teeth Cleaning?

A deep cleaning is a gum treatment that involves the removal of built-up plaque and tartar on the teeth and gums to prevent dental problems and to improve oral health. Plaque is a sticky film that stays on teeth after the intake or food and drinks. When plaque and saliva mix it creates bacteria which is harmful to the teeth and can cause cavities and other dental problems. Brushing and flossing your teeth can remove plaque but sometimes there can be areas left over which become an accumulation of hard deposits on the tooth above or below the gingival margin. If a patient has not had their teeth cleaned in a long time or has gum disease like gingivitis or periodontitis, they may need a deep cleaning to remove tartar above and below the level of the gums. A topical and/or local anaesthetic may be administered depending on the sensitivity of the area to be treated. The success of the treatment depends in part on your efforts to brush and floss daily, receive regular cleaning as directed, follow a healthy diet, avoid tobacco products and follow proper home care taught to you by this office.

Deep cleanings normally take place over 1-2 visits however more visits may be required depending on the extent of the tartar build up and intervals between your professional dental cleanings. Deep cleanings involve gum scaling and root planning with local anaesthetic.

The tooth scaling appointment is when the dentist or hygienist removes the plaque above and below the gumline. The root planing appointment, involves removing plaque that forms on the roots of your teeth. This helps reduce the size of the space between your teeth and gums, helping your gums reattach to the teeth. This tartar can result in gum recession, hypersensitivity, tooth mobility and tooth loss. Deep cleanings with local anaesthetic help to resolve your gingivitis or stabilise your Gum Disease. Regular 4-6 monthly cleanings are recommended to prevent re-occurrence of gingivitis and gum disease which may ultimately result in extreme sensitivity, pain, tooth mobility and tooth loss.

Benefits Of Deep Teeth Cleaning?

Stops, stabilises or prevents gingivitis(inflammation of gums) or periodontitis(gum disease)
Prevents bad breath and bad taste in your mouth
Treats current infection to promote good oral health
Removes plaque under the gum which a tooth brush can’t reach
Protects the roots of the teeth
Keeps the gums healthy
Reduces the risk of tooth loss

In most cases deep cleaning is vital for promoting oral health but there are very few disadvantages that come with it. In cases where there is inflammation or gum disease present, patients can find treatment painful. This is why local anaesthetic is used to prevent discomfort. The patient will still feel pressure on the teeth/roots during the deep cleaning. Hypersensitivity of the teeth, painful teeth/gums, tender gums and sore jaws can occur after treatment for up to 3 months. In severe cases there is no guarantee that your gums will reattach to your teeth. Otherwise, deep cleanings are very important for patients with gum disease. Your dentist may recommend referral to a Periodontist(Gum Specialist) if further more specialised gum treatment and advice is required to help stabilise your gum inflammation/disease and prevent tooth/teeth mobility or loss. Regular visits with a periodontist may be recommended every 4-6 months depending on the extent of your gum inflammation or gum disease.

Pain, tenderness and sensitivity of the teeth and gums are the most common side effects to deep cleanings but they will usually go after 6-8 weeks. In some cases this discomfort and pain can last up to 3 months. If your gum disease is severe deep cleanings can cause some of your teeth to loosen more or even fall out. If your gum disease is severe deep cleanings can cause your dental hypersensitivity to worsen permanently. Kin Gingival and Sensi Kin dental products are recommended as instructed on their packets long-term following deep cleanings. Daily flossing with string floss or tepe brushes is essential with the use of a soft toothbrush for toothbrushing morning and night.

If you are a patient with a compromised immune system you may need to take antibiotics before or after this treatment to prevent any risk of infection.

At Smile Hub Dental Clinic, we recommend regular 4-6 months professional dental cleanings to maintain/stabilise the health of the gums and teeth and to prevent any dental problems that can occur if treatment is missed. Gingival inflammation can lead to gum disease which can lead to severe dental pain/sensitivity, tooth mobility and tooth loss. Some people have a higher genetic risk to developing gum disease. Smokers are also also at higher risk of developing gum disease. Studies have also shown that patients with diabetes and pregnant women are more prone to gingivitis/gum disease. Any patient with a weakened immune system is at increased risk of gingivitis/gum disease according to dental research. Stress is also a factor which has been shown through research to worsen the health of patients gums.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Dental Abscesses Require Treatment?

Although over-the-counter painkillers such as Ibuprofen may help relieve discomfort, it will not prevent or remove the infection nor treat the accumulating dental damage. Abscesses can form in any part of the body, particularly when the immune system is weak and the body’s defences to infection are low.

Dead cells attract infection agents that can trigger a build-up of pus. Abscesses may be dental or physical and are usually a sign that treatment is required.

Initially, the pus infection may start off small and without treatment develop into a bigger abscess, which may eventually burst and cause severe pain and spread of infection. Pain relief will not treat the cause of the infection nor necessarily prevent it spreading.

Professional Teeth Cleaning to Prevent Dental Abscesses

Where plaque remains after teeth and gum cleaning tartar may start to develop. The plaque and tartar can then only be removed through dentist or dental hygienist teeth cleaning and scaling with specialist dentistry instruments. It is important to have dental check-ups to assess if there are any signs of plaque and tartar which may lead to tooth decay and dental abscesses.

Dental Decay and Dental Abscess Formation

Anyone at any time may experience dental decay when plaque accumulates on and around the teeth. Although oral hygiene practice serves to clean away food debris and prevent plaque build-up, residue plaque can sometimes remain in difficult to clean areas.

Similarly, individuals wearing orthodontic braces, dentures or tooth restorations are given advice by dentists on how to properly clean their mouth and their dental appliance. This is to aid in the prevention of plaque. However, it is inevitable in some cases that not all plaque is removed.

Dental decay forms when sticky plaque build-up attracts bacteria that colonise in tooth grooves and around the tooth. The cells in tissue around the teeth may become damaged and pus can form, leading to inflammation, swelling and abscess formation.

Dietary Contributors to Dental Abscesses

Diets high in acid and sugar wear away tooth enamel and may weaken tooth structure, making the risk of dental infection and abscess development higher as the inner tooth dentin and pulp becomes exposed. Eating a healthy diet with moderate acidic and sugary food intake helps to reduce this risk and improve oral health.

Early identification of dental abscesses

Inflamed, swollen gums and tooth sensitivity may be signs that an abscess is developing. However, because other factors can cause these symptoms, such as incorrect teeth brushing technique or overuse of home teeth whitening kits, it may be hard to self-identify if an abscess is beginning to develop or present.

Attending dental check-ups regularly in Smile Hub is vital for diagnosis of abscess development in the early stages so that treatment may be given to prevent pain escalation and further dental damage.

Treating teeth cavities early is just as important because tooth cavities are ideal spaces for pus to collect. Painful tooth cavities with a sore jaw and face are symptoms of potential dental abscess formation. Those with an abscess may also experience fevers and excessive temperatures, especially as the abscess grows without treatment.

Emergency dentistry and dental abscesses

If a dental abscess is suspected the best action to take is to contact Smile Hub for an emergency assessment and treatment. Doing so allows immediate care without long waits. Even if pain is intermittent treatment for an abscess should be sought, as the abscess and infection inevitably continue to develop.

Leaving the abscess untreated by not taking the step to contact an emergency dentist may lead to spread of infection, worse illness and tooth loss. It is not uncommon for people to have a tooth extracted if they avoid receiving treatment for a dental abscess.

Dental phobia and dental abscesses

Our clinic provides dental phobia treatments for patients who fear having treatment for dental conditions. This provides greater relaxation so patients may receive the treatment they need for better health. Patients have choices in sedation treatment and these do not have to involve needles or painful procedures. The aim is to give individuals requiring urgent emergency dental care for issues such as abscesses the calm and comfort they need to receive treatment.

Treating different abscess types

An emergency dentist in Smile Hub will assess the person’s oral health condition, looking at the abscess type and how severe the infection is. Dental abscesses have different classifications based on the oral structure affected, such as peripheral or gingival abscesses. Dentists use diagnostic tests such as X-rays to identify the type, location and spread of the infection.

An abscess that forms on the gum surface is usually drained of pus and then compressed to relieve the pressure. To remove and prevent further infection, and for pain-relief, an antibiotic is usually prescribed.

Periodontal abscesses develop in the dental pockets and raise the risk of periodontal disease or periodontitis. These abscesses once drained leave a gap in the tooth pocket separating tooth and gum. Antibiotics do not usually reduce the likelihood of the infection returning at some point.

Dentists can clean out the dental pocket and use other dental treatments to seal the developed space between the tooth and gum. These dental treatments may involve tooth and/or gum reshaping.

In the case of periodontal or periapical abscesses, root canal treatment may be required to remove the infection from the root canals to save one or more teeth. The risk of spreading infection is high when abscesses are left untreated. Seeking early treatment is vital to prevent complex dental conditions that require extensive and costly treatment.

Where a condition called osteomyelitis develops oral surgery may be required to relieve severe pain and preserve the jaw bone. Clinicians assess the severity of an abscess and provide individuals with treatment options.