Different Types of Teeth Cleaning

Regular cleaning is an excellent approach to guarantee that your teeth remain healthy and that no significant oral health issues arise. This is also the perfect opportunity to find out how to maintain healthy teeth and gums. Here are the four most common cleanings you can expect when visiting the dentist.

Prophylaxis Cleaning

A prophylaxis cleaning is typically performed on people with a healthy mouth. It is intended for routine maintenance, such as removing tartar and plaque from the surface, gums, and between teeth.

Most patients only require a prophylaxis cleaning if they have religiously maintained daily dental hygiene and semi-annual appointments. It is an additional way to eliminate plaque and tiny stains from the surface of the teeth.

Scaling & Root Planing Cleaning

Scaling and root planing cleanings, also known as thorough cleanings, are used to treat gingivitis and periodontitis on teeth and gum pockets. Gingivitis deep cleanings are often accomplished in a single appointment. Deep periodontitis cleaning may require numerous sessions and local anesthetics, depending on the severity.

Scaling is the procedure of removing tartar and plaque from the tooth’s surface and the gum pockets that occur below the gum line due to gum disease. Scaling not only eliminates bacteria but also reduces gum irritation. Root planing is the technique of smoothing the dental roots, which aids in reattaching the gums to the teeth and eliminating gum pockets.

Periodontal Maintenance Cleaning

Periodontal maintenance cleanings are also dental procedures designed to treat gum disease. Like scaling and root planing, they remove excess plaque and tartar from the tooth surface and gum pockets, then smooth out the roots if needed.

The main thing that sets periodontal maintenance cleanings apart is that they are usually performed more often than other dental processes. This is because gum disease is progressive and will worsen if not effectively treated.

Gross Debridement Cleaning

Gross debridement cleanings are the most intensive dental cleanings designed to remove large quantities of tartar and plaque. These cases typically include people who struggle to maintain an oral hygiene regimen or have avoided the dentist for an extended period.

During gross debridement cleanings, an electrical instrument is utilized to release tartar due to the hardening of plaque. After removing all excessive plaque and tartar, a prophylaxis cleaning is recommended to clean the teeth further.

Schedule a Dental Cleaning

Now that you are familiar with the four types of dental cleanings schedule an appointment with our Plantation, Tamarac, or Davie dentists for good oral health. As you can see, your dentist may use various techniques based on your examination results. While all these methods have the same fundamental idea, they each take a somewhat different approach depending on the state of your gums and teeth.

November 23, 2022