Many people dread the words “dental cleaning.” A lot of us seize up in fear at just the idea of going to the dentist. However, there’s no real reason for that. Attending your regular six-month appointments is essential for a healthy mouth, and a healthy mouth is necessary to keep your body in good shape. So, what exactly is a dental cleaning? Is it the same thing as a deep cleaning? Let’s take a closer look at what differentiates the two of them.
What’s a Dental Cleaning?
A dental cleaning is what happens twice a year at your dentist’s office, or at least, it should if you keep your biannual appointments! Its main purpose is to give you a cleaning more thorough than what you can achieve with your toothbrush and floss at home by removing plaque and tartar.
Plaque is a sticky film of bacteria and particles from the foods and drinks you consume. It constantly forms on your teeth, but brushing and flossing can disrupt it, so it doesn’t harden into tartar. Once plaque has become tartar, it can’t be removed by anyone other than a dental professional. It’s important to get your tartar removed at least twice a year, since bacteria in tartar can cause gum disease and tooth decay. Gum disease is a serious bacterial infection in the gum tissue that can, if left untreated, make your teeth loose and even fall out! If you have it, your dentist may recommend a deep cleaning for treatment.
What’s a Deep Cleaning?
A deep cleaning is a common treatment for gum disease that involves three major steps:
- Scaling. First, your dentist will remove built-up plaque and tartar from beneath your gumline. Even during a regular dental cleaning, these areas are usually not reached.
- Root planing. Next, your dentist will use special instruments or a laser to painlessly yet thoroughly smooth out any rough spots along the tooth roots where bacteria like to collect.
- Follow-up care. Finally, you will be prescribed an antibiotic to deal with any reaming infection and a painkiller to alleviate any discomfort. Your dentist may recommend one or more follow-up appointments to see how your healing and oral health in general are doing.
A dental cleaning happens twice a year at your regular checkups, while a deep cleaning is a treatment option for serious gum disease. Now that you know what they are, there is no reason to be afraid of them!
About the Author
Dr. Vince Fava achieved his Doctor of Dental Surgery from the University of Toronto in 1995. He now practices at Torbram Dental in Brampton, ON. He uses a soft tissue laser to painlessly perform deep cleanings to treat gum disease. If you think you may have gum disease, or it’s just time for your twice-a-year dental cleaning, contact Dr. Fava by clicking here or calling 905-792-7163.
Simrit has been working at Torbram Dental since 2001. She started her career with Assisting/Treatment co-ordinating and then moved on to becoming the Hygiene Co Ordinator in 2005. In 2012 she took on a new role as the Marketing Director. Though she loved being the Marketing Director, in 2015 she became the Office Manager of Torbram Dental. She completed her Level 1 Dental Assisting program with Career Canada in 1996 and then went on to complete her Level II Dental Assisting Diploma with Southwestern Medix in 1999. That is when she received NDAEB Certification. Simrit has been and still is an active member of the Ontario Dental Assistants Association since 2000. She enjoys hiking and traveling with her husband and two kids and loves to explore new restaurants, especially high-tea venues.
This will close in 0 seconds
Jessica, one of our receptionists, is one of the smiling faces you see when you arrive at the office. She graduated with honours from Medix College with a diploma as a Level 2 Dental Assistant. When she is not happily helping our patients, Jessica enjoys spending quality time with her friends and family, going to church on Sunday mornings, gardening and going on hikes.
This will close in 0 seconds
Naudia has been working at Torbram Dental for many years and is a valued member of our administrative team: as a dental receptionist and in our marketing team . She graduated from Everest College with honours level 1 and 2, with a diploma in Dental Assisting. Naudia is always there for our patients, making sure that they receive the care and attention they deserve. When not at the office, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, cooking and indulging in civil court TV shows.
This will close in 0 seconds
Ramandeep has been a part of Torbram Dental for the past 10 years as certified dental assistant. She obtained her level 1 certification from Everest college in Brampton in 2013, and then her level 2 certification in 2014 from Medix college. Her career path through the clinic has been recognized by staff at all levels who admire her work ethic and dedication to million dollar smiles. In her spare time, Ramandeep enjoys cooking and gardening, and spending time with her husband and 2 kids.
This will close in 0 seconds
Sana is a valued member of our dental hygiene team. In 2008 she completed her education at George Brown in Dental Assisting and in 2016 she earned her diploma in Dental Hygiene from the Canadian Academy of Dental Health and Sciences. Sana has been working in dentistry since 2008 and enjoys taking care of our patients and helping them with their oral health. She is married and is busy with her 2 young children. In her spare time, Sana enjoys going out with the family, trying out new places to eat and is looking forward to travelling with them in the future.
This will close in 0 seconds
Sanaria has been working at Torbram Dental for many years as a valued member of our Dental Assisting Team. She completed her level 2 dental assisting certification and previously obtained a degree in Education and worked as a quality control officer in the pharmaceutical industry. When not at work Sanaria loves to bake and cook. She also loves story time and enjoying the outdoors with her children. She always sees the positive side of life, believes that nothing is impossible and that if you set a goal and work at it, that you will make your dreams come true.
This will close in 0 seconds
Carrie has been working at Torbram Dental since 2001. She graduated from George Brown College in 1998 with a Dental Assistant Diploma and continued to further her education by completing a Dental Hygiene Diploma in 2001 at Durham College. Carrie is a highly trained and experienced Registered Dental Hygienist who continues to learn and grow by updating her knowledge to provide her clients with the best Oral Health Care techniques and information. Carrie is passionate about Dentistry and is known for her gentle and compassionate manner. She feels strongly about building lasting relationships and trust with her clients to help them understand that good Oral Health leads to good Overall Health. Carrie enjoys travelling, dabbling in decorating and a good Netflix series in her time off. Carrie resides in Halton Hills with her husband and two children.
This will close in 0 seconds
Daniela's interest in Dentistry began in Gr.6 when she wrote a speech entitled "My Life as a Toothbrush".
A Registered Dental Hygienist with 22 years of clinical experience, Daniela still has a great passion for her career. The most rewarding aspect for her is building lasting relationships with her patients, and seeing them through to a healthier smile.
Her thorough yet gentle touch will ensure a comfortable visit every time.
Daniela is a total Foodie and loves to cook and enjoys all types of cuisines. She loves Florida, Cruises, organizing things, and most of all spending time with family and friends.
This will close in 0 seconds
Stephanie Enjoys getting to know all new patients at Torbram Dental and catching up with long standing Patients. Stephanie enjoys spending quality time with her family. One of her favorite things to do with her daughter is teach and play the piano. Stephanie likes going on walks with her husband and enjoys spending as much time with him as he is an Active Member of the Canadian Army. On Sundays, Stephanie enjoys going to Church and looks forward to Sunday Dinner with her entire family. Stephanie's Favorite thing to do to start her day right is head to her local Starbucks and Grab her favorite drink, an iced black tea with light lemonade on warm days and a blonde vanilla latte on those cold winter days.
This will close in 0 seconds