Periodontal Maintenance Cleaning There is much cleaning that needs to be done in the world. Not just exterior cleaning, although there is plenty to be done there. In this case, we are talking about interior cleaning. The interior cleaning that happens in your mouth specifically. We need to be sure your mouth is as clean as we can make it. If you don't take care of your mouth, your health could suffer. Not just your mouth's health, but your body as well. Periodontal maintenance is the key to having a healthy mouth, even if you didn't have a healthy mouth in the past. Let Spektor Dental take a minute to tell you about periodontal maintenance. The Three Kinds of CleaningThere are three different types of cleaning we do for your mouth. The first kind is the usual cleaning you get in our office. We clean your teeth twice a year using special polishes and instruments to scrape away tartar. This type of cleaning is called prophylaxis or regular cleaning. We might also remove stains from your teeth during a prophylactic cleaning as well. We only clean the surface of the tooth to the gumline. Most people only need this type of cleaning. However, if you have gum disease, you may need a deeper cleaning. Gum disease is an infection of your gums caused by bacteria. When gum disease begins, it is only inflammation of your gums. They may become red and inflamed, and they may bleed. At this stage, your gums can be treated. However, when gum disease moves to stages two and three, we can stop the progress of the disease, but we can't cure it. Your specialist might suggest surgical cleaning, where the periodontist does a surgery type deep cleaning. Deeper Cleaning and Periodontal MaintenanceIf you have gum disease, we have to perform a deep cleaning on your gums to stop the progress of the. This is called scaling and root planing. This is very deep cleaning. It involves us removing bacteria, tartar, and deposits at the site of the infection, which usually involves gums, teeth, and bones. Once we clean out all of the infection, we need to continue periodontal maintenance. That's because periodontal disease leaves pockets between your teeth and gums. Over time, these pockets become filled with bacteria, plaque, and tartar. They have to be cleaned out. Periodontal maintenance ensures that your teeth and gums remain as healthy as possible. You may have some concerns about periodontal maintenance. For example, you may be worried that there will be pain involved. We can have a conversation with you about managing your pain and anxiety during the procedure. You may also be concerned because you may have to have your teeth and gums cleaned more frequently. Depending on your oral health, you may have to have periodontal maintenance every other month, or four times a year. Getting periodontal maintenance done is better than the alternative - tooth and gum loss. If you have questions about periodontal maintenance, give Spektor Dental a call at (425) 247-3629. We can help ease your fears about periodontal maintenance. |
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