When someone hasn’t been to a dental clinic for a professional teeth cleaning for a long time and isn’t diligent about flossing, the dentist may find reasons to recommend a deeper cleaning under the gums. Dental hygienists remove hard tartar above the gums during a routine cleaning, using specialized instruments. If a General Dentist in St George UT recommends a more thorough cleaning, it’s usually because X-rays have shown tartar buildup under the gum line. The dentist will show the patient the problem on the X-rays.
Just as tartar that can be easily seen, the calcified material that is hidden is irritating to the gums and can cause early gum disease. If it isn’t removed, gum disease may progress and begin damaging the connective tissue and even the jawbone. Removing this hidden tartar is medically known as scaling and root planing. Because the work is done under the gums and involves teeth roots, a local anesthetic is advisable. A practice such as Hatch & Jeppson Dental also offers sedation dentistry if a patient is anxious about this procedure. Patients say they can feel the difference in how clean their teeth are afterward.
If the gum disease has reached a stage where infection has set in and there are significant pockets around the teeth, the dentist will likely refer the patient to a periodontist. A periodontist specializes in treating gum disease. For a normal scaling and planing procedure, however, a General Dentist in St George UT can provide the service. Dental insurance usually covers this treatment because it is considered medically important. If gum disease continues to progress, the patient can start losing teeth since the structures holding them in place deteriorate.
After a scaling and planing treatment, the patient must be vigilant about oral hygiene and regular dental appointments to prevent the problem from recurring. Needing this procedure typically is all it takes to motivate someone to brush and floss regularly, and to have a hygienist or dentist clear away hard tartar. People generally don’t want to have it done twice and will now put forth the effort to keep their teeth and gums healthy.
