When you begin to exhibit the warning signs of periodontal disease, you may need treatment to keep it managed. Doing so helps you avoid issues like periodontitis, an advanced stage of the disease linked to adult tooth loss. In today’s blog, your Livonia, MI, dentist talks about our deep cleaning procedure and how this helps manage periodontal disease!
The Warning Signs of Periodontal Disease
How do you know if you have periodontal disease? You may notice changes to your gums, and when you do, we urge you to schedule a visit for a diagnosis, as you want to avoid the stages linked to adult tooth loss. Common warning signs include soreness in the gums, redness, bleeding, and even recession that makes teeth appear long or uneven. In the gingivitis stage or the early stages of gum disease, we can offer a deep cleaning, also known as a scaling and root planing, to manage the issue so moving forward we can control it with better oral hygiene habits and traditional dental cleaning every three to four months.
The Deep Cleaning
The scaling and root planing involves our team using an ultrasonic scaling device and a manual tool to gently and thoroughly break up and remove all plaque and tartar buildup from your smile. We remove this from both the teeth and the roots, and from beneath the gum line too, destroying pockets of harmful oral bacteria in the process. For some, this could take one visit, but severe buildup could take as many as two to four visits. Our team will administer a numbing agent to keep you comfortable as this is more involved than a traditional procedure. The last step is to polish the teeth for a brighter appearance and to make it more difficult for plaque and tartar to adhere to the surfaces before your next appointment.
Traditional Cleanings and Preventive Care
After your scaling and root planing, our team will recommend a traditional cleaning, which removes buildup from just the visible portions of the teeth, every three to four months. This limits the risk of worsening disease, so you avoid periodontitis. At home, we urge you to brush and floss daily, limit the sugar and starch in your diet, and avoid tobacco products. If you have any questions about our scaling and root planing procedure, then contact our team today to learn more. We want to help your smile stay healthy and whole!
LEARN MORE ABOUT SCALING AND ROOT PLANING WITH DR. STEWART, DDS!
A scaling and root planing can help you enjoy better gym health and a full smile. To find our more or to schedule their next appointment for a deep cleaning, give us a call at our office in Livonia, MI at (734)425-4400.