DEEP TEETH CLEANINGS CERRITOS, CA

Deep dental cleanings are cleanings that benefit patients who have been diagnosed with gum disease. This type of cleaning will help you manage your periodontal disease and help prevent it from progressing.

Gum disease is the #1 cause of tooth loss. A deep cleaning in Cerritos can help you prevent losing any of your teeth to this disease, while also restoring your healthy, beautiful smile.

What Is a Deep Dental Cleaning?

A deep dental cleaning is a gum disease treatment in Cerritos that’s also known as scaling and root planing, SRP for short. Deep cleanings are one of the best ways to treat early to moderate periodontal disease. We can even treat somewhat severe cases of gum disease with a deep cleaning, though other gum disease treatments might need to be performed in conjunction.

The main cause of gum disease is tartar (also called calculus) and plaque build-up, which can lead to a bacterial infection in the gums. A deep dental cleaning is designed to remove the hard-to-reach plaque/tartar, especially when it is found deep below the gum line at the base of the gingival pockets.

What Is the Difference Between a Deep Cleaning and a Periodontal Cleaning?

There are three types of cleanings that your Cerritos dentist can perform:

Preventative cleaning (prophylaxis, or prophy for short)
Deep cleaning (SRP)
Periodontal maintenance or a periodontal cleaning

Patients with gum disease cannot have a preventative cleaning. The goal of those types of cleanings is to prevent gum disease. Since you already have it, your next option is a deep cleaning. Once you’ve been diagnosed with gum disease and have had scaling and root planing, we have a new goal – maintenance.

Periodontal cleanings help us maintain the disease and prevent it from progressing. Periodontal maintenance cleanings happen more often than preventative cleanings. Depending on your needs, your Cerritos dentist may recommend that you have a cleaning every three to four months.

Why Do I Need a Deep Cleaning in Cerritos?

The biggest reason why you may need a deep cleaning is if you are at risk of losing your teeth, as well as the surrounding jawbone, which can make it difficult to support a denture should you, in fact, lose your teeth.

However, gum disease can also contribute to other problems – both orally and throughout your body. The bacteria that caused an infection in your gums can also travel to other areas of the body, like the heart or areas that are weak (joint replacements, for example). This can be dangerous.

Fortunately, periodontal disease is treatable and one of the best ways to treat it is with a deep cleaning in Cerritos. A deep cleaning focuses on the whole tooth, including the root surfaces below the gum line. Deep cleanings eliminate bacteria, as well as the plaque and tartar buildup around and under the gum line.

How Is Periodontal Disease Diagnosed?

During your dental examinations, your Cerritos dentist or hygienist will check your teeth and gums for signs of:

Plaque
Tartar
Inflammation
Infection

They will also use a special measuring probe to measure the depths of the gum pockets around your teeth. Healthy periodontal pockets range from one to three millimeters. Anything higher than that indicates periodontal disease. Digital x-rays can also help your dentist diagnose periodontal disease and determine the health of your jawbone.

What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Periodontal Disease?

The earliest stage of gum disease is called gingivitis, which is inflammation of the gum tissue. This stage of periodontal disease can be reversed.

If the disease progresses beyond gingivitis, you now have periodontitis. Periodontitis ranges from moderate to severe and is indicated by:

Puffy gums
Deeper periodontal pockets
Teeth looking longer than they used to (“getting long in the tooth”)
Bleeding while brushing and/or flossing
Chronic bad breath
Sore gum tissue
Soreness while chewing
Red, deep red, or even purple gum tissue
Pus
A red or white bump on your gums
A bad taste that won’t go away

How Do I Prepare for My Deep Dental Cleaning?

Typically, this procedure only requires local anesthesia to numb the teeth/tissues being cleaned. However, if you have concerns about being conscious during the procedure, talk to your dentist prior to your appointment about sedation options.

Also, please let us know if you are taking any blood thinners (such as Warfarin) or if you have any heart conditions. It’s usually best to stop taking your blood thinners a few days before the procedure but talk to your primary care physician first before quitting any medications.

If you have certain heart or health conditions (history of a heart murmur or joint replacements), we may recommend antibiotics to take before and after this type of gum disease treatment in Cerritos.

What Can I Expect During a Deep Cleaning in Cerritos?

A deep dental cleaning is similar to a prophylactic cleaning in that your hygienist will use many of the same instruments and techniques.

During an SRP appointment, though, we’ll only clean two quadrants at a time. The reason for this is due to the fact that we need to numb the teeth and gum tissue. Full mouth anesthesia is not recommended because it’s not a pleasant experience and we want to prevent any injury (like biting your soft tissues).

Once you’ve been numbed, the hygienist will use instruments to clean all the plaque and tartar on the teeth, around the gum line, and in the gum pockets. They have special instruments that allow them to get to the base of the gum pockets no matter how deep they may be.

Are Deep Dental Cleanings Painful?

During your appointment, you should not experience much discomfort or pain. After a deep cleaning in Cerritos, you might experience some gum tenderness or soreness as you recover. It typically takes a few days for the inflammation to go down and the gum tissue to heal. Rinsing with warm salt-water can help reduce some of the irritation.

As you heal, you might notice that your teeth are sensitive to hot and cold foods and beverages for a few weeks after the deep cleaning. This is due to the fact that the plaque and tartar are now removed and no longer provide a layer of insulation. Any sensitivity should dissipate rather quickly. Talk to your Cerritos dentist if you have any questions or concerns.

How Much Does a Dental Cleaning Cost?

Because they require more skill, time, and training, deep dental cleanings cost more than routine teeth cleanings. Additionally, the costs included in your SRP treatment plan can include topical antibiotic treatment (antibiotics administered into the gum pockets where there’s an infection).

Deep dental cleanings are typically charged and billed to insurance per quadrant. The cost is around $150 to $250 per quadrant (or $600 to $1000 for the full mouth).

Your dental insurance may help with some of these costs, and you can choose to get one quadrant done at a time to spread out the expense. We also offer flexible payment plans and outside financing options.

High-Quality Gum Disease Treatment in Cerritos

The dental team at Dentist of Cerritos wants to help you keep your teeth for a lifetime. One of the best ways we can do that is to provide a deep dental cleaning for patients with periodontal disease. The sooner we treat the disease, the better chances we have of saving your teeth, protecting your oral health, and promoting good health overall.

Let’s Work Together to Restore Your Gum Health!

If you have any of the symptoms of gum disease or it’s simply been a while since your last cleaning and check-up, call to make an appointment with our friendly Cerritos dental team.