Dental hygiene is vital to fight bad breath and gum disease. Regular brushing and flossing are also essential. Oral health also involves the gums, not just the teeth. Most people avoid dental visits if they do not have a toothache or a tooth concern. But if you have stayed for long without a dental checkup, you have a heightened chance of needing a deep cleaning.

While routine dental cleaning and deep cleaning may sound the same to most people, they are different. Read more to know their difference.

What Is Routine Dental Cleaning?

Dental procedures that entail cleaning teeth between their gums and around the gumline is a routine dental cleaning. It suits patients with plaque and tartar accumulation on the exterior of the teeth roots. If left without cleaning, the buildup can result in bacterial infections, which affect the gums.

The main goal of routine dental cleaning is to maintain clean teeth and prevent cavities. It also aims to keep off mild gum disease, such as gingivitis.

Routine cleanings are also ideal as your dentist gets the chance to examine your teeth, screen for oral cancer, and take oral X-rays if needed.

Routine dental cleanings every six months are ideal as they keep bad breath at bay. Your dentist will remove the tartar using a scaler, making the process non-invasive. But if the buildup becomes too much, it may need removing through deep cleaning. Your dentist will use an ultrasonic device to remove the plaque formed on the surface of your teeth.

Importance of Routine Dental Cleaning

Routine dental cleanings are an opportunity to get your teeth and gums checked by your dentist. Millions of Americans suffer from gum disease. Regular cleanings are ideal when you visit your dentist at least twice a year. They help maintain your teeth's general cleanliness.

The main goal of routine dental cleaning is to help eliminate plaque and calculus buildup above your gumline.

What Is Deep Cleaning?

A deep cleaning helps remove plaque and tartar buildup. Plaque is a sticky substance that can form on the teeth when saliva mixes with food particles. It contains bacteria that can affect your oral and dental health. 

Daily brushing of teeth can remove plaque that collects on teeth. However, it cannot remove plaque found between your teeth. If left without cleaning, it hardens and forms tartar. You increase your risk for gum disease if you have plaque and tartar accumulated in your mouth. You can also get inflammation on your gums called gingivitis. If left untreated, it advances to periodontitis, a severe infection that destroys the bone supporting your teeth.

Signs You Need a Deep Cleaning

Your dentist will advise you if you need a deep cleaning and when to get it. Below are some of the signs that show a deep cleaning may benefit you:

• Deep gum pockets - Gum pockets measuring more than four- to five-millimeter-deep show you have periodontal disease. Gums with pockets that are not deeper than three millimeters are healthy.

• Inflamed gums - A deep cleaning may be necessary if your gums have chronic inflammation.

• Bone loss - This could be because of a disease such as periodontitis. Your dentist can detect bone loss through an X-ray.

What Is the Difference Between Routine Dental Cleaning and Deep Cleaning?

Routine teeth cleaning removes plaque and tartar buildup above your gumline. Deep cleaning removes the buildup of plaque and tartar below your gumline. 

Gum disease causes a gap or space between your gums and teeth where there is an accumulation of plaque and tartar. Their removal is only possible through deep cleaning.

For more about routine dental and deep cleaning, call MAC Family Dentistry at (985) 238-3797 to reach our office in Mandeville, Louisiana.