A deep cleaning is known as scaling and root planing.  It is cleaning below the gumline and is used to treat gum disease. 

Gum disease is caused by a sticky film of bacteria, plaque.  Everyone always has plaque on their teeth, but if it is not cleaned off the teeth, the bacteria that is in plaque can cause the gums to become inflamed.  When this happens, the gums will begin to pull away from the teeth.  Spaces form, called pockets.  Plaque then gets trapped in the pockets and can’t be removed just with regular brushing.  If this goes untreated, gum disease can lead to bone and tooth loss. Queen Creek AZ Best Dentist Near Me

When gum disease is caught early before damaging the structures below the gum line, just having a professional cleaning should put your teeth back on the right track.  If the pockets are too deep, scaling and root planing may be needed. #smilewithconfidence

In 2015, the Journal of the American Dental Association found that scaling and root planing is beneficial to someone with chronic periodontitis.  Periodontitis is gum disease that has advanced past gingivitis.  47.2% of adults over the age of 30 in the United states are affected by chronic periodontitis. Queen Creek AZ Best Dentist Near Me

When a deep cleaning is needed, there will be two parts.  The first part, scaling, happens when the dentist removes all the plaque and tartar that has formed above and below the gumline.  They will make sure to clean all the way down to the bottom of the pockets. #martindental  Root planing then begins, and is the process of smoothing out the teeth’s roots to help the gums reattach to the teeth.  Scaling and root planing will require a longer visit to complete and often a local anesthetic is used.