Could You Use a Deep Cleaning?
Even if you carefully brush and floss every day, you will still have plaque. It is a fact of life, and just a part of having teeth. However, if you do not keep up with your brushing and flossing, plaque can build up on your teeth and eventually harden into a tougher substance known as tartar. Plaque can cause your gums to recede, which then gives the plaque a chance to form below the gumline. If that happens, you could lose teeth and even parts of your jawbone. That sounds very serious, and it is. However, your dentist can treat the problem with a deep cleaning, which is also known as scaling and root planing. In scaling, the dentist uses an instrument to remove the plaque and tartar above and below the gumline. With root planing, the dentist will smooth out the roots of your tooth so that they can re-attach themselves to your gums. After your procedure, you may have some pain the next day, and your teeth may be somewhat sensitive for a week afterwards. If this pain continues longer than a day, let your dentist know during your follow-up appointment. During that appointment, the dentist will also measure the depths of the pockets of your gums to see how the healing is progressing, or if further treatment is necessary. If you have noticed that you have tender, red, swollen or bleeding gums, our dentist, Dr. Latino may be able to help you with a deep cleaning. If you would like to schedule an appointment for a deep cleaning, or it is just time for your regular dental exam, give us a call. If you live in the Waco, Texas, area, you can reach Chad Latino DDS at 254-615-3084. We look forward to hearing from you soon.
