What's the Difference Between a Routine Dental Cleaning and a Deep Cleaning

Everyone knows that having regular dental checkups and routine cleaning is essential in preventing the development of cavities or gum diseases - not to mention, there’s nothing more refreshing than feeling like every nook and cranny of your teeth were cleaned to perfection, making you want to smile a lot and show off your new pearls.

However, the majority of people are not aware that there are two types of cleaning - one reserved for every six months, which is your usual go-to routine cleaning, while the other is deep rental cleaning.

Many people may believe that it can be used interchangeably, or that deep cleaning is reserved for those who missed a few visits or have eaten a particularly messy meal. However, deep cleaning is typically reserved for patients suffering from moderate to advanced gum disease and is a procedure performed to treat periodontal disease.

In that regard, it’s crucial to know the difference between the two in order for you to receive the right treatment that is appropriate to your needs. On that note, here are the key differences between the two, and when to know which treatment is right for you.

What is Routine Dental Cleanings?

Also known as regular cleaning, this is recommended to receive for every six months in order to maintain the cleanliness of your oral hygiene. This procedure focuses on the tooth above the gum line and is designed to eliminate any tartar that built up over the months and turned into plaque behind your teeth.

On that note, the difference between tartar and plaque is that the former can be generally cleaned easily through normal brushing and flossing, while the latter is simply hardened tartar that cannot be brushed away and will require scaling tools.

In retrospect, regular cleaning is effective for disturbing the bacterial colonies residing in between the teeth, which could lead to periodontal disease if it’s left unattended.

The minute your dentist identifies it as periodontal disease, however, that may halt the regular cleaning procedure as it could do more harm than good. In that regard, that is where the purpose of deep cleaning comes in.

What is Deep Cleaning?

Deep cleaning focuses on exposed tooth and gums, both of which are caked with bacteria buildup, which can lead to further decay if not treated immediately. Part of this is periodontitis, wherein bacteria colonies have become established in your mouth and can lead to damages beyond your oral hygiene as these bacteria are also known to attach itself to the bloodstream and cause severe damage in its wake.

To determine this, the dentist will need to use a probe to measure the area around your teeth to find any signs of pocket, which is an area between the tooth and gum where bacteria typically forms. In that regard, deep cleaning is more focused on root scaling rather than general cleaning to allow for a healthier and cleaner root for the gums to reattach itself to.

Deep cleaning is not necessarily restricted to patients with gum disease, however, as it is also recommended for people who have not visited their dentist for longer than a year.

If you’re looking for affordable dentistry, get in touch today to see how we can help!