Some people go for periodontal cleaning occasionally because they think it is healthy to do deep cleaning teeth regularly. But some people have never had dental scaling because they think that brushing will clean their teeth and scaling will damage them. So how much do people know about teeth cleaning?

Why do you need periodontal cleaning?

Between the gums and the root surface of the teeth, there is a shallow sulcus of 0.5-2㎜, called the gingival sulcus. The gingival sulcus easily accumulates food debris and attaches plaque, and the gingival sulcus is a difficult area to clean thoroughly. New plaque will form half an hour after brushing, and if you do not clean it carefully, it may become calculus, and these bacteria will cause gingivitis, periodontitis, bleeding, bad breath, etc., and eventually lead to loose teeth or even loss of teeth.

Deep cleaning teeth removes the plaque and calculus between the neck of the teeth and the gum sulcus by using various instruments such as laser teeth cleaning and root planing, which can reduce the inflammation of gingivitis and periodontitis.

4 types of Periodontal Cleaning

Periodontal cleaning is just a general term. In actual dental treatment, there are 4 levels of dental cleaning. They are

• General scaling teeth
• Full mouth cleaning/laser teeth cleaning
• Root planing
• Periodontal cleaning, maintenance, treatment

General scaling teeth

Suitable for: People with healthy gums

Purpose: To remove plaque, calculus, and pigmentation from the teeth and gingival sulcus, which helps the patient to maintain oral health.

Treatment procedure:

Scaling: scaling teeth, removing hard deposits

Polishing: Remove soft plaque and pigmentation from the teeth using a special dental polishing cup and paste.

Treatment Time: 30-45 minutes.

Total dental debridement/Laser teeth cleaning/All-round scraping

Suitable for: Patients who have not received a professional cleaning for a long time and have periodontal tissue disease.

Purpose: To remove as much sediment as possible from the teeth and to create conditions for a comprehensive assessment of the health of the teeth and periodontal tissues.

Treatment Procedure:

Laser teeth cleaning removes large pieces of calculus and relieves swollen gums, bleeding, and overflowing pus.

Thorough scaling to remove residual deposits and polishing of the teeth for a more thorough examination to assess the need for scaling and root planing.

Treatment time: 45-60 minutes.

Full mouth periodontal cleaning is an intermediate-level scaling procedure that provides a deeper cleaning for periodontal patients who have not seen a dentist in quite some time and is known as a “two-step” scaling procedure.

Scaling and root planing/Dental deep cleaning

Suitable for: people with very obvious symptoms of periodontal disease.

Symptoms of periodontal disease include:

• The discovery of deepened periodontal pockets (depth greater than 5 mm).
• Resorption of alveolar bone visible on X-ray.
• Bleeding gums.
• Overflowing pus.
• Tartar buildup on the root surface.

Purpose: Scaling removes plaque and calculus below the gum margin and on the root surface. The rough areas on the roots are smoothed out, bacteria are removed, and the tooth surface is smoother and more convenient for daily oral care.

Treatment procedure: Deep cleaning teeth strokes such as scraping and root planing usually require local anesthesia, so the treatment is completed in 2-4 sessions in separate areas.

Treatment time: 1-2 hours.

When periodontal disease progresses to the point of supporting bone tissue loss, periodontal scaling and root planing can only control the progression of the disease, not cure it. This is the same as in the case of hypertensive patients, who are not cured of hypertension by taking antihypertensive drugs, but whose blood pressure is only “controlled” by the antihypertensive drugs.

Periodontal cleaning, maintenance, treatment

Suitable for: people who need to maintain periodontal health after periodontal treatment (e.g., scaling and root planing). If follow-up maintenance is not done adequately, periodontal disease can recur.

Treatment procedure: Removal of plaque and soft scale around the gums, scaling, and root planing in specific areas, and final polishing.

Periodontal maintenance treatment is required after each scaling and root planing.

Treatment time: The interval between treatments will depend on the clinical assessment. However, maintenance cleanings are usually required every 3-4 months.

A dental hygienist will evaluate your oral health before treatment for oral and gum disease.

Assessment criteria include:

• Periodontal probing measurements, bleeding status
• Gum swelling, the pus overflow condition
• Whether you smoke
• Presence of systemic diseases (e.g., diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease)

6 Tips for Emergency Toothache Relief

1. Cold Compress

A cold compress can play a quick role in relieving pain, it is an emergency toothache relief method. You need to first put an ice pack or ice cubes in a plastic bag, then wrap it with a thin cloth and put it on the side of the toothache for 15 minutes to numb the nerve, it can also reduce inflammation and swelling. It’s best not to apply cold compressions for too long to avoid frostbite.

2. Relieve Toothache with Cloves

Clove in the eugenol is a natural antiseptic, that can effectively relieve toothache symptoms. You can place a small amount of clove or clove powder on the toothache and chew gently until it releases the clove oil. In addition, you can apply two to three drops of clove oil to the affected area until the pain is relieved.

3. Gargle with Salt Water or Mouthwash

Saltwater is a natural disinfectant and gargling with it is a simple and effective way to treat toothache. You can add half a spoon of salt to 250ml of warm water and stir until the salt is completely melted. Then hold warm salt water in your mouth for about five seconds and spit it out. This will clean your mouth, help prevent swollen gums and relieve toothache. Mouthwash containing alcohol has a disinfecting and numbing effect on the teeth and can be used for gargling when you have a toothache.

4. Rinse with Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide has strong oxidizing properties and can play a role in sterilization and pain relief. It can not only reduce plaque but also heal minor gum bleeding. You can use it as a mouthwash for gargling. But you need to mix 100ml of 3% hydrogen peroxide concentration with 100ml of water before you can use it and be careful not to swallow it by mistake.

5. Take Toothache Painkillers

If you have toothache Toothache at night, and not convenient to go to emergency dental treatment, toothache painkillers can help you temporarily relieve pain, so you can sleep smoothly. Then you can wake up the next day and go back to the dentist for help.

6. Seek the Help of an Endodontist

If the toothache is severe, it may be caused by endodontic disease and you need to seek the help of an endodontist at your dental office as soon as possible.

9 Causes of Toothache

1. Tooth Decay

Tooth decay is the main cause of toothache. Tooth decay is the main cause of toothache. When bacteria destroy the enamel and enter the pulp chamber, the sensitive tooth nerve becomes painful.

2. Pulpitis

When the pulp infection develops to the root of the tooth, it will lead to pus around the root of the tooth, forming pus pockets and causing a toothache.

3. Hidden Tooth Fracture

External impact or gnawing on hard objects can cause cracks in the tooth, even deep into the root, which can cause pain from hot or cold stimulation in mild cases and can cause severe pain directly to the tooth in severe cases.

4. Wisdom Tooth Growth

The wisdom tooth is the third-largest human molar, mostly erupting between the ages of 16-25. It will break through the gums and some even grow horizontally, so it can’t be seen at all without taking dental films. Even if you can’t see it, it can squeeze other teeth, which can cause toothache. You should remove wisdom teeth as recommended by your doctor if they are crooked.

5. Temporomandibular Joint Disorder

TMJ problems are classified as jaw joint disorders, but they can also affect dental health.

6. Gum Disease

Gingivitis or periodontal disease can also cause toothache, which requires you to adhere to treatment to effectively improve.

7. Cervical Abrasion

Long-term horizontal brushing will lead to the destruction of the tooth enamel at the neck of the tooth, thus exposing the internal dental nerve, and the tooth becomes mini-sensitive and prone to pain.

8. Sinusitis

The maxillary sinus is adjacent to the alveolar bone, and sinus inflammation can easily spread to the roots of maxillary teeth, causing tooth pain. In addition, the trigeminal nerve that governs the maxillary sinus is also located in the alveolar bone, which can cause radiating toothache when the maxillary sinus is inflamed.

9. Grinding Teeth

Severe teeth grinding can cause a huge biting force on the teeth, far beyond the normal range of teeth. Toothache pads can be used to reduce the burden on the teeth.

How to Prevent Toothache?

1. Brush your teeth every day

Brush your teeth in the morning and evening, and use the Bachmann brushing method to avoid horizontal brushing, otherwise, it will easily cause cervical abrasion.

2. Regular Dental Checkups & Teeth Cleanings

You should have regular dental checkups and cleanings, usually once a year. If you are diagnosed with dental caries, pulpitis, or other oral problems, you should be treated as soon as possible. If the wisdom teeth are not growing well, they should also be removed in time.

3. Eat Less Candy, Drink Less Carbonated Drinks

High-sugar snacks and carbonated beverages can corrode your teeth and damage them gradually. You should eat less of this kind of food and rinse your mouth in time after eating.

4. Avoid Eating Sour, Cold, or Hard Food before Going to Bed

Acidic, cold or too hard food can easily stimulate the lesion and cause toothache. If you have experienced a toothache, you should avoid eating these irritating foods before going to bed, otherwise, it is easy to trigger secondary pain.

Summing Up

Toothache can seriously affect our normal life, so we should pay attention to oral health, prevent dental diseases, and master the methods to relieve toothache. Some people feel that dental treatment is too expensive and the process is tedious, so they are reluctant to seek dental clinics. If your toothache is very severe, it may be caused by endodontic disease, so you need to seek the help of an endodontist at a dental clinic as soon as possible.