When you begin to develop gum inflammation or the early stages of periodontal disease, then you may need treatment to manage the issue and protect your smile. Our team can offer a deep cleaning to help safeguard the smile from issues like periodontitis. Our Savannah, GA periodontal practice can provide treatment with a scaling and root planing.
The Risks of Severe Buildup
Over time, various factors like brushing and flossing habits and our diet could lead to plaque and tartar buildup accumulating on the surfaces of your teeth. This buildup can make stains more visible, and leads to issues like bad breath, tooth decay, and even gingivitis and gum disease. Which is why removing the buildup with a cleaning every six months is so vital for your oral health. But! If you haven’t had a cleaning recently, the buildup could grow severe enough to cause gingivitis or gum disease, so you experience sore, red, and bleeding gums that could also recede. At this stage, managing the issue and protecting your smile means a deep cleaning, also known as a scaling and root planing.
The Scaling and Root Planing
Like a traditional cleaning, the scaling and root planing involves using an ultrasonic scaling device and a manual pick to remove plaque and tartar from the teeth. However, this also removes the buildup from the surfaces of your roots and beneath the gum line, also destroying harmful pockets of bacteria in the process. Depending on the severity of your plaque and tartar, this could take one visit or up to four. Our team will numb your smile beforehand so you’re comfortable, as this is a more involved process. Our team then polishes the teeth to limit the ability of plaque and tartar to adhere to the teeth before your next traditional cleaning visit, which should happen every three to four months in most cases.
Protecting Your Smile Moving Forward
In addition to professional cleanings, you can also help by cutting back on the sugar and starch in your diet, avoiding tobacco products, and brushing your teeth twice a day for two minutes. You also need to floss every evening before you brush the second time. These factors help manage the disease to help you avoid periodontitis, the advanced stage linked to adult tooth loss. If you have any questions about the scaling and root planing process, or if you need to schedule your next visit, then contact our team today to learn more.
Talk to Your Savannah, GA Periodontist About Improving Gum Health
Our team wants to help you enjoy good oral health and a full smile. If you would like to find out more about our periodontal treatments, call our Savannah, GA periodontal office at (912) 352-4867.
