Difference Between Periodontal Maintenance and Teeth Cleaning

Do you have periodontal disease, or are you noticing signs that you may have it? Are you looking for prevention measures even though you may not have any signs of periodontal disease? While searching for ways to take care of your oral health, you may have come across these two terms. They may make you wonder if there is a difference. If so, what is it?

Teeth Cleaning

Teeth cleaning refers to the regular cleaning of teeth by a dentist. It is a type of preventative care to help you maintain oral health. The dentist will clean your teeth and gums using a scaler to remove plaque and tartar. The cleaning does not go beyond the gum line.
You must never miss an appointment at Midtown Dental Center as it will cause the buildup of bacteria, plaque, and tartar. Their growth may result in periodontal disease. Teeth cleaning keeps your gums, teeth, and bones healthy and strong.

What Is Periodontal Disease?

To understand periodontal maintenance, you need to understand what periodontal disease is. It is a condition that causes infection in your gums. It may destroy the soft tissue in your mouth and affect your jaw. It causes your gums to recede and your teeth to fall out.

Signs of Periodontal Disease

Some signs you may have periodontal disease include:

• Swollen gums
  
  

• Bleeding gums
  
  

• Receding gums
  
  

• Bad breath
  
  

• Pain chewing
  
  

• Pus between your gums and teeth

You must maintain good oral health or the above symptoms will make your life uncomfortable. To maintain good oral health when healing from periodontal disease, stick to periodontal maintenance.

Periodontal Maintenance

Periodontal maintenance refers to the deep cleaning of teeth. It is the step after teeth cleaning, and only people with periodontal disease need it. It helps remove plaque and tartar that may cause your gums to pull away from your teeth.

As the gum disease worsens, it causes spaces that are deeper than five millimeters. It exposes the roots of your teeth and weakens the bones that support them, leading to the loss of teeth. Periodontal maintenance helps reverse all these damages.

What Does It Involve?

The dentist goes deep into the pockets that periodontal disease forms and removes plaque and tartar. They do this through the process of scaling and root planing. You may need two or more visits to Midtown Dental Center for the dentist to perform all the work. Each visit takes about one or two hours.

During the first visit, the dentist will perform tooth scaling. The process involves the removal of bacteria and plaque from below your gum line. The second step is root planing or removal of plaque and tartar on the roots of your teeth. The dentist uses a specific tool to smoothen the roots. It helps reduce the space between your gums and teeth. It also aids your gums as they reattach to your teeth.

Benefits of Periodontal Maintenance

Periodontal maintenance stops the advance of gum disease and treats any infections. It promotes healing and cleans your teeth, allowing your gums to reattach to them. It protects the roots of your teeth and the bones that support them, preventing the loss of your teeth. It also eliminates bad breath and gives you the confidence to interact with others again.


For more information on periodontal maintenance and teeth cleaning, visit Midtown Dental Center at our Atlanta, Georgia, office. Call (404) 874-0800 to book an appointment today