Deep Cleaning Vs. Regular Cleaning: What's the Difference?

If you want to protect your oral health, routine dental cleaning is a crucial part of maintaining a good dental hygiene in addition to your usual brushing and flossing.

Even with a perfect technique, it can be very difficult to properly remove all food particles and bacteria from the mouth. Over time, these particles can increase your risk for cavities, gum disease, and other oral health issues.

But if you've been looking into getting a dental cleaning, you might have come across the term “deep cleaning.” But what’s the difference between deep and regular dental cleanings? And how do you know which one you might need?

Check out this short blog post to find out:

What Are Regular Dental Cleanings?

Professional dental cleaning is a preventative oral health measure designed to thoroughly clean the mouth. Using special tools and professional toothpaste, the cleaning you can achieve at the dentist’s office is much more thorough than the one you get at home.

Normally, dental cleanings are routine procedures done on healthy teeth. Patients usually need to get them every 6 months to truly stay on top of their oral health.

What Is Deep Cleaning?

Deep cleaning is a dental procedure designed to clean the teeth between the gums, and even below the gum line at the root level. Your Mauldin dentist may recommend a deep cleaning if they notice you have plaque and tartar buildup on your teeth.

Essentially, all the bacteria and food particles that aren’t removed from your mouth through brushing can accumulate on your teeth. Over time, they create a film called plaque, which then hardens into tartar.

Tartar is nearly impossible to remove on your own, which essentially means your teeth and gums become constantly exposed to harmful bacteria. Deep cleaning is designed to remove this hard tartar.

So, What’s the Difference Between Deep and Regular Teeth Cleaning?

Regular dental cleaning is a much simpler procedure. It’s done to maintain oral health and reduce your risk of developing certain complications.

Deep cleanings, on the other hand, are a more extensive procedure usually performed to help reduce the risk of developing gum disease or even as a first step to treat it.

Deep cleanings also go beyond the surface of the tooth to remove the debris that accumulates near the root. It may also require multiple sessions, depending on the extent of the tartar build-up or how severe the gum disease is.

How to Know Which One Is Right for You

As a general rule, if your teeth are healthy, then you most likely need regular cleaning. But Dr. Meagan Crosland and Dr. Michael Crosland can help you understand what your oral health needs are during a routine consultation.

Feel free to book a consultation at Indigo Dental online, and stop by our office to discover what your dental health needs are.

For more information, call us directly at (864) 565-8684.