Deep cleaning is a set of dental procedures that a person may need if he or she has experienced deep intrusion of plaque. Other names for deep cleaning procedures are scaling and root planing. A dental patient needs scaling and root planning when that person notices the initial stages of gingivitis. The initial stages of gingivitis may yield symptoms such as bleeding gums, unpleasant breath or pain. A dentist may also notice a high degree of plaque growth during a regular dental visit or examination. The deep cleaning procedure is far more advanced than the typical cleaning that patients receive on their routine visits is.
The deep cleaning process may be painful if the patient has a great deal of tartar inside the gum’s pockets. However, the dentist can supply the patient with something that will ease the pain. Next, specialists will perform the scaling or “deep scraping” procedure. This person will enter the gum’s pockets and retrieve the tartar. Next, the specialist will conduct any root planing that needs to be done. Root planing is a process that the dentist uses to smooth the gum’s surfaces. Deep cleaning can restore a person’s declining oral health before it progresses to a dangerous extent.