When we think about a dentist, the first thought that comes to the mind is teeth and when we think about cleaning our teeth, we reconsider this thought by ignorance.
Our oral hygiene is an important aspect and holds crucial importance in health overall. It’s important that you take care of your teeth and have a healthy life. Another important thing in keeping dental hygiene is getting an appointment with your dentist and get regular cleanings done.
With this let’s dive into understanding the difference between regular cleaning and periodontal maintenance.
Regular Dental Cleaning
Prophylaxis which is also called regular dental cleaning is preventive care that should be done once or twice a year. This will help you in preventing any more serious issues from happening in the future. When you go for regular cleaning, the dentist looks for signs that may lead to cavities or abscesses, or even cancer and once the dentist is satisfied s/he will recommend you further to the dental hygienist to clean your teeth.
While cleaning your teeth, the hygienist will use equipment that is specialized to remove the plaque, tartar, and bacteria making sure your teeth are safe. Later, once all the cleaning is done, they will polish your teeth leaving them white and shiny.
Periodontal Maintenance
Similar to regular cleaning but deeper is called periodontal cleaning. When you go for a periodontal cleaning, this may take more than a few sessions which means that you will have to return to your dentist every few months.
During your maintenance, the hygienist will not only concentrate on your teeth but also in between them moving towards your gums for scaling and rooting. The hygienist will look for any infection and if they find any, they will use an antiseptic that will help to flush any disinfection or inflammation.
Remember, when there is an infection in the gums, it is generally a periodontal disease which is also called periodontitis. This is a serious infection that has chances of spreading which if not taken care of can lead to falling of teeth and soft tissue destroyed.
It is important to know the symptoms to be prepared. Some symptoms that follow are swollen gums, puffy gums, bright red or purple gums, gums that bleed easily, gums that feel tender to the touch, bad breath, painful chewing, pus between your teeth, and gums, loose teeth, spaces developing between your teeth or receding gums.
It is important to ensure you keep a track of these symptoms and even if a slight doubt arises, visit your dentist.
Regular Cleaning vs Periodontal Maintenance
Now after understanding both regular cleaning and deep cleaning, let’s understand when to go for each.
Regular cleaning means that your teeth are all healthy and your gums and bones are good. This is just a preventive measure. It is done to keep your oral health in check and thus is important that you keep regular appointments with your dentist to avoid a buildup of plaque, bacteria, or tartar.
Not maintaining your regular dental cleaning checkups may lead to further periodontal disease.
Deep cleaning on the other hand is the next step when the regular cleaning has no effect due to bad oral health. It is generally done to stop the disease from advancing and thus it’s important to make sure you go for your checkups regularly to avoid serious damage to the teeth and gums.
Now that you have an elaborate understanding of regular and deep cleaning, understand the symptoms, and make sure that you get your regular cleanings done as per your appointments. Also, make sure that you concentrate on your oral health and hygiene and consult your dentist regularly.
