Regular Dental Cleaning vs. Deep Cleaning: What’s the Difference?

Taking care of your teeth is essential for good overall health, and regular dental visits play a key role in keeping your smile bright and your gums healthy. During your dental visits, you might hear about two types of cleanings: regular dental cleaning and deep cleaning. While both procedures help keep your teeth clean, they serve different purposes and are used for different dental conditions. Here’s an easy-to-understand breakdown of what each cleaning involves and when you might need one over the other.

What Is Regular Dental Cleaning?

A regular dental cleaning is the routine cleaning most people get during their check-ups. It’s designed for people who have healthy gums and teeth, with no signs of gum disease.

What Happens During Regular Cleaning?

·         Plaque and tartar removal: Your dentist or hygienist uses special tools to remove plaque (a sticky film of bacteria) and tartar (hardened plaque) from your teeth, especially near the gum line.

·         Polishing: After scraping off the tartar, your teeth are polished to remove surface stains and give them a smooth, shiny finish.

·         Flossing and fluoride treatment: The cleaning ends with a thorough flossing and sometimes a fluoride treatment to help protect your enamel.

A regular cleaning is a quick and simple procedure that usually takes about 30 to 60 minutes and is mostly painless.

When Do You Need Regular Cleaning?

·         Healthy gums: Your gums are not inflamed, swollen, or bleeding.

·         Minimal tartar build-up: You don’t have much plaque or tartar build-up.

·         Preventive care: It’s ideal for keeping your teeth and gums healthy and preventing future issues.

What Is Deep Cleaning?

A deep cleaning, also known as scaling and root planing, is a more intensive procedure needed when gum disease has set in or if there’s significant tartar build-up beneath the gum line. This cleaning addresses more serious issues like gingivitis or periodontitis.

What Happens During Deep Cleaning?

·         Scaling: The dentist removes plaque and tartar not just from the surface of your teeth, but also from below the gum line, where regular cleaning tools can’t reach.

·         Root Planing with Laser Treatment: In some cases, Dr. Pankti Patel, the best dentist in Ahmedabad, uses a laser to smooth out the rough surfaces of the roots of your teeth. This helps your gums reattach properly and prevents bacteria from collecting in the areas around the roots. The laser can also help reduce discomfort and speed up healing by promoting better blood flow in the gums.

 Deep cleaning usually requires one or two visits and might involve some discomfort, so topical anaesthesia is often used or sometimes local anaesthesia is used to numb the area.

When Do You Need Deep Cleaning?

·         Gum disease: If your gums are swollen, bleeding, or receding, deep cleaning is needed to treat the infection and stop it from getting worse.

·         Tartar below the gum line: If you have tartar build-up beneath your gums that can't be removed with a regular cleaning, deep cleaning is necessary.

·         Gum pockets: If you have pockets in your gums that are too deep, deep cleaning will help prevent further damage to your gums and teeth.

Key Differences between Regular and Deep Cleaning

Feature	Regular Cleaning	Deep Cleaning
Purpose	To remove plaque and tartar and prevent buildup.	To treat gum disease and clean below the gum line.
How Deep	Only above the gum line.	Below the gum line, focusing on tooth roots.
Procedure Time	30 to 60 minutes.	1 to 2 hours
Pain Level	Mostly pain-free, with slight sensitivity.	Can be uncomfortable, local anaesthesia may be needed.
When You Need It	Healthy gums, regular maintenance.	Gum disease, more tartar buildup, or gum pockets.

Regular dental cleaning is for those with healthy teeth and gums, while deep cleaning is needed for gum disease or heavy tartar buildup. Teeth Care Centre, the top clinic in Ahmedabad, emphasizes the importance of regular visits. Deep cleaning is often recommended when tartar or gum disease is present, and laser treatment can help with comfort and healing. Both cleanings are vital for oral health, and Dr. Pankti Patel will guide you on which one you need. Regular check-ups and good at-home care will keep your smile healthy for years!

The Impact of Vaping on Oral Health

In recent years, vaping has become increasingly popular, with millions of people using e-cigarettes worldwide. Although it’s often advertised as a safer alternative to smoking and other tobacco products, vaping can still harm your dental health. Many teens and adults are attracted to vaping, believing it's harmless. Unfortunately, this is a misconception. Vaping can cause lasting damage to your gums and may even lead to tooth loss.

What is Vaping?

Vaping refers to the use of e-cigarettes, battery-powered devices that heat liquid, usually containing nicotine, marijuana concentrates, or just flavoring. The liquid turns into vapor, which is then inhaled through the mouth and into the lungs. Although vaping may seem safer than smoking regular cigarettes or using chewing tobacco, it is still not risk-free. In fact, vaping can harm your health in several ways. 

How Vaping Affects Oral Health

Though e-cigarettes differ from traditional smoking, they still introduce chemicals, including nicotine, into the mouth. Just like cigarette smoke, the vapor produced by e-cigarettes comes into direct contact with your teeth and gums, leading to several negative effects on oral health.

1. Vaping Damages Gum Health

Nicotine—whether from vaping, chewing, or smoking—constricts blood vessels, reducing blood flow to the gums. This decreased circulation makes it harder for the gums to receive the necessary oxygen and nutrients they need, as well as impeding their ability to heal. As a result, your gums become more vulnerable to infections and diseases, including gum disease, which can ultimately lead to tooth loss.

In addition, vaping can irritate the gums and the lining of the mouth, leading to issues such as mouth sores, gum recession, and tooth sensitivity.

2. Vaping and Tooth Damage

In addition to the risk of tooth loss from gum disease, vaping can also directly affect your teeth. The chemicals in e-cigarettes can cause staining, turning your teeth yellow or brown, which can impact your self-esteem and overall well-being. While this is a cosmetic concern, it can be addressed by visiting Dr. Pankti Patel, the best cosmetic dentist in Ahmedabad.

Vaping can cause dry mouth, which makes it harder for your body to fight cavities. Saliva helps wash away food, neutralize acids, and protect against bacteria that cause tooth decay. Without enough saliva, your teeth are more at risk for cavities and other dental issues.

Also, some chemicals in vaping liquids turn into acids that can wear down tooth enamel. The sweet, sticky flavors in many e-liquids can attract bacteria to your teeth, which helps plaque build-up and increases the risk of cavities.

Nicotine can also cause tooth grinding, which wears down enamel and leads to further dental damage.

3. Vaping and Oral Cancer Risk

While the long-term effects of vaping are still being researched, there are concerns that it may increase the risk of oral cancers. Although the cancer risk from vaping seems lower than from smoking traditional cigarettes, it remains significantly higher than for those who neither smoke nor vape.

How to Protect Your Teeth and Oral Health 

The best way to protect your oral health is to quit smoking, vaping, or using any form of tobacco or nicotine. However, if you are using e-cigarettes as a way to quit smoking, they may offer some reduced risks compared to traditional cigarettes.

If you choose to vape, it’s crucial to take steps to protect your oral health. Here are some key tips:

·         Brush your teeth twice a day and floss at least once a day to remove plaque and bacteria.

·         Use fluoride toothpaste to help strengthen tooth enamel and prevent cavities.

·         Regularly visit Teeth Care Centre, the best dental hospital in Ahmedabad, for check-ups and cleanings, especially if you vape, to catch any issues early.

 By understanding the risks and taking steps to care for your oral health, you can minimize the harmful effects of vaping on your teeth and gums. However, the safest choice for your long-term health is to quit vaping entirely. Your mouth will thank you!

 

Fluoride therapy in Dentistry

Maintaining optimal oral health is important for overall well-being, and preventive measures are crucial. One such preventive intervention that has significantly contributed to dental health is fluoride therapy. Fluoride therapy has proven to be widely used in dentistry as a reliable and effective method for preventing tooth decay and promoting stronger, healthier smiles.

What is fluoride?

Fluoride is a naturally occurring element found in sources such as water, soil, and certain foods. In dentistry, fluoride is significant because it helps remineralize and strengthen tooth enamel, making it more resistant to acid attacks from bacteria and plaque.

Applications of Fluoride Therapy:

Topical Fluoride Treatments:

• Professional Fluoride Application: Dentists often apply high-concentration fluoride gels, foams, or varnishes during routine dental check-ups. This provides a concentrated dose of fluoride to strengthen the teeth.
• At-Home Prescription Products: Dentists may prescribe fluoride toothpaste or mouthwash with higher fluoride content for patients at higher risk of tooth decay.

Fluoride in Water Supply:            

• Community Water Fluoridation: Many communities adjust the fluoride content in their water supply to provide a consistent, low-dose exposure to fluoride, benefiting the entire population.
• Benefits of Fluoride Therapy:
• Prevention of Tooth Decay: Fluoride strengthens enamel, making it more resistant to acids and preventing the demineralization process that leads to cavities.
• Remineralization of Teeth: Fluoride promotes the remineralisation of areas where enamel has started to demineralize, reversing the early stages of tooth decay.
• Reduction in Sensitivity: Fluoride therapy can help reduce tooth sensitivity by strengthening enamel and blocking exposed dentin tubules.
• Protection for All Ages: Beneficial for individuals of all ages, from young children developing their first teeth to adults maintaining their oral health.
• Community-wide Impact: Fluoridated water has been recognized as one of the most effective and equitable community-based public health measures, benefitting individuals irrespective of age, socio-economic status, or access to dental care.

Considerations and Safety:

While fluoride therapy is generally safe and effective, it’s essential to consider individual factors such as age, oral health status, and risk factors for fluorosis (excessive fluoride intake). Dr. Pankti Patel the best dentist in India carefully tailors fluoride recommendations to each patient’s unique needs.

At Teeth Care Centre, we have the best dentist for fluoride treatment in Ahmedabad to perform fluoride application procedure according to particular needs of oral and dental situation. We make a point to ensure that adequate levels of fluoride needed are absorbed

by the teeth in order to successfully cease the acidic breakdown of the outer layer of the teeth.