A preventative hygiene appointment is a crucial part of maintaining your oral health. During a routine cleaning, the hygienist will remove plaque and tartar buildup from the surface of your teeth. They will use ultrasonic tools as well as manual instruments to make sure everything is clean and healthy. If you suffer from periodontal disease, you may need a more involved cleaning, which includes scaling your teeth well below the gum line.
Oral hygiene is the first line of defense against dental issues and is much less costly than treating problems when they arise. This is why it is so important to see your dentist on a regular basis, so they can catch things before they get worse.
What is teeth scaling?
Scaling your teeth is a form of deep cleaning that allows your hygienist to reach well below the gum line to remove the plaque and tartar buildup on your tooth roots. Left untreated, tartar buildup on the roots of your teeth can cause your gum tissue to become inflamed and pull away from the surface of your teeth. Gum recession can cause extreme sensitivity and even bone loss.
At your regular hygiene appointment, once a year, your hygienist will measure the depth of your gum pockets to make sure that they are small. Healthy gum pockets measure between one and 3 mm and are tight around the tooth to help minimize plaque and bacteria. When gum pockets measure 4 mm or deeper, teeth scaling may be recommended.
Before scaling her teeth, your hygienist will administer a local anesthetic to the area to keep you comfortable while they clean away the tartar from under your gum line. After a scaling treatment, the gum tissue will begin to heal closer to the tooth surface to minimize pocket depth.
Your hygienist is able to do some degree of scaling during a preventative appointment as well. Most of the time, they will use a cavitron, which is an ultrasonic tool that uses water and vibration to break up buildup. They will then also use hand tools to fine scale, which means that they are cleaning up anything left behind by the cavitron, getting between teeth before flossing.
What can I expect after a teeth scaling?
Most of the time, scaling treatment will be broken up into two appointments, with half of the mouth being done at a time. This is mainly to make sure that the patient stays comfortable and does not have to have their entire mouth numb all at once. After the scaling treatment is complete, you will likely be scheduled to return for a follow-up cleaning, where they will measure your gum pockets again to make sure everything is healing properly.
After scaling, most patients need to have a more frequent preventative cleaning schedule, usually every 3 to 4 months. This is to make sure that everything stays healthy and that periodontal disease does not return. Your dentist and hygienist will work together to provide education on home care and, if necessary, a referral to a periodontist.
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