How Long Does Deep Teeth Cleaning Take?

A deep teeth cleaning is a non-surgical procedure that is used to treat patients with periodontal disease. This is a condition in which the gum tissue is infected and requires special care. Periodontal disease can be detrimental to your oral and overall health, causing systemic issues in patients who have underlying conditions such as heart problems or diabetes. Caught early, periodontal disease may be treated with a deep teeth cleaning to restore the health of the hard and soft tissues in your mouth.

What is the treatment time for a deep teeth cleaning?

A deep cleaning, or scaling and root planing, is typically performed over the course of two appointments, one side of the mouth being treated at a time. The main reason doctors like to break this up into two appointments is because the tissue being treated is numbed using a local anesthetic and it is not ideal for a patient to have their whole mouth numb all at once.

Each appointment takes between 60 to 90 minutes, depending on how much of your mouth needs treatment. At each appointment, the local anesthetic is administered to the side being treated and then the hygienist or doctor will use a combination of manual and ultrasonic instruments to scrape tartar and bacteria from well below the gum line, including the tooth root surfaces.

After both sides have been treated, your doctor will likely want you to return 4 to 6 weeks later for a follow up cleaning and to check the progress of your healing. If the deep cleaning has not improved the condition of your mouth, you may be referred to a periodontist for specialized treatment.

After Deep Teeth Cleaning

Immediately following a deep teeth cleaning, it is normal to experience some minor swelling and bleeding in the areas that were treated. You may have some continued soreness in your gums and tooth sensitivity but that should subside on its own after a few days. For those first couple of days, it is a good idea to avoid eating anything very crunchy or that requires a lot of chewing in order to give your gum tissue time to begin healing.

Untreated Periodontal Disease

Gingivitis is the first stage of periodontal disease and can usually be cleared up with a deep cleaning and any ill effects reversed. When gingivitis is left untreated, it progresses too. Donnell disease at which point the gum tissue will begin to pull away from the surface of your teeth, causing exposed root surfaces which can be very painful. When plaque and bacteria are not regularly removed, the buildup below the gum line calcifies into tartar and cannot be removed with simple brushing and flossing.

As periodontal disease progresses, the jawbone begins to deteriorate causing tooth mobility and even tooth loss.

Patients that are treated with a deep teeth cleaning benefit from more frequent professional cleanings instead of the typical two per year. Even adding in one more cleaning can greatly improve the health of your gums and teeth and make it easier for you to keep everything healthy at home.

Is Deep Teeth Cleaning Painful?

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