The best dental services in Hueytown are those that come with patient education. Patients go to the dentist to get treated, but they should also be educated to take better care of their oral health at home. While it’s true that a dentist’s job is to restore your smile, it’s also their mission to teach and offer insight on how to improve and maintain your oral health.
A topic that falls on the debatable ground is dental cleaning. Many patients get the wrong notion about dental cleanings. The most notorious misconception about it is that it’s unnecessary. Patients assert that dental cleanings are only for those with oral health issues. What is the truth behind dental cleanings?
What are the Different Types of Dental Cleanings?
Prophylaxis Dental Cleaning
Prophylaxis dental cleaning is for individuals who generally have healthy mouths. The term prophylaxis means disease prevention. Therefore, if you get this type of cleaning, you are merely boosting your oral health and protecting your teeth and gums from decay and disease.
During this procedure, your dentist will scrape away traces of plaque and tartar on the surface of your teeth and along the gum line. You can get a prophylaxis dental cleaning once every six months.
Scaling and Root Planing Cleaning
Scaling and root planing, aka deep cleaning, is advised for patients who are diagnosed with gingivitis and periodontitis. This procedure aims to clean both your teeth and rid gum pockets of bacteria and plaque. It usually only takes one appointment for patients with gingivitis, while it takes multiple appointments for periodontitis. Sometimes local anesthesia is given to patients with severe gum diseases.
During the scaling process, your dentist will remove plaque and tartar on the surface of your teeth, as well as plaque inside gum pockets located below the gumline. The procedure aims to rid your mouth of bacteria while at the same time minimizing gum inflammation. The root planing process involves smoothening out your tooth roots to discourage bacteria from reattaching to your teeth.
Periodontal Maintenance Cleaning
Just like scaling and root planing, periodontal maintenance cleanings are for patients with gum diseases. This type of cleaning also removes unwanted plaque and tartar on the surface of your teeth and inside gum pockets.
Your tooth roots are also smoothed out. But what makes this cleaning different is they are performed more frequently compared to other dental cleanings to prevent gum diseases from progressing.
Gross Debridement Cleaning
A gross debridement cleaning is intended for people with significant amounts of plaque and tartar on their teeth. It’s usually requested for patients who do not maintain good oral hygiene practices or have been avoiding their dentist for a long time. After a gross debridement cleaning, the patient is advised to show up during routine teeth cleanings performed at least twice a year.
Are You Looking for the Best Dental Services in Hueytown?
Do you want to know what type of dental cleaning you need? We can guide you. At Church Family Dental, we provide superior quality dental services that are geared toward improving your oral health and function. Our office is fully equipped with the latest tools to give you a beautiful smile. Contact us today if you want to book an appointment.
.svg)
.svg)
