Healthy Gums For Everyone

In certain situations when the bone and gums surrounding teeth become inflamed, a regular dental cleaning may not be an appropriate treatment. Regular dental cleanings remove plaque and build-up from the crown of the tooth, but deep cleanings or periodontal therapy treatment removes plaque and tartar below the gums on the root structure of teeth. If left untreated, you may notice these signs of gum disease:

• Gingivitis or swollen red gums
• Gums that bleed after brushing or flossing
• Teeth that feel loose or unstable
• Bad breath or a foul odor

It is not accurate to say that merely skipping dental cleanings leads to gum disease, because it is very multifactorial. Common causes are smoking cigarettes, diabetes, genetics, and oral hygiene habits.

1-4 Appointments

If at your dental exam and cleaning, Dr. Hansen decides that you would benefit from a deep cleaning or periodontal therapy the mouth will be scheduled to cleaning in either 1, 2, or 4 appointments depending on the amount of sites needing scaling and root planing.

To keep you comfortable, we often will numb the gums with either local anesthesia or extra-strength topical anesthesia before the deep cleaning. Once your gums are numb and you are of course, very relaxed, we will begin the procedure by skillfully removing the very hard tartar beneath your gums one tooth at time. Your appointment for the procedure may last anywhere from one to two hours to ensure a very thorough job. We will finish with a refreshing minty rinse, a fresh tea tree oil infused cool towel and DoTerra lip balm.