Dental Cleanings

Keeping the mouth clean and healthy is just as important as maintaining a beautiful smile. Microbes tend to get accumulated on the surface of the teeth and tooth roots, thereby leaving a brownish or yellowish layer on the teeth. It is called plaque. When plaque isn't removed at regular intervals and left to stay on the teeth for a long time, it turns into a dark, sticky substance called tartar or calculus.

How harmful is tartar?

Tartar is full of harmful bacteria that have the potential to upset one's oral health to a massive extent. They usually feed on the food residues left in the mouth after a meal and release toxic acids in the process. These toxins can erode the enamel and cause cavities, which can advance to the deeper layers of the teeth if left untreated for a long time. The acids can infect the tissues of the gums and cause gum diseases such as gingivitis and periodontitis.

What is the solution?

It's a simple one - getting rid of the tartar deposits. We do this by procedures called scaling and root planing, which remove the tartar deposits from the teeth and roots, respectively. For this, we use a hand-held ultrasonic scaling device. It has a scaling tip that vibrates at ultrasonic frequencies and dislodges the tartar deposits. A jet of water will be used to wash away the tartar from the teeth surfaces. It leaves the teeth looking whiter and the mouth healthier.

What is root planing?

Root planing involves cleaning the tooth roots and clearing out the deep gum pockets using a hook-like scaling tip. Patients who have loosened gum tissues due to inflammation tend to have deeper gum pockets and a receded gum line. In such cases, the food residues and microbes tend to get deposited in the gum pockets, leading to the formation of tartar deposits on the tooth roots. During root planing, we remove these microbial deposits by gently scraping them off. Also, we smoothen the surface of the tooth roots to get rid of the imperfections, which reduce microbial deposition on them.

Please get in touch with us through online consultation or by calling us at (407) 495-1886, and we'll guide you further.