We’ve never really liked the phrase ‘deep cleaning’. When people ask about the cost of a deep clean, it’s hard to know if they want a routine dental scaling or if they need more thorough treatment for gum inflammation. These are completely different procedures (with different fees), although they do both involve cleaning the teeth. Everything depends on your diagnosis, which can only be made after a thorough examination.
Just give it to me straight, Doc. What’s the worst case scenario?
Well, you may have a condition known as periodontitis. This usually doesn’t cause pain, but it can result in pockets of bacteria collecting beneath the gums. These bacteria can cause damage to the jawbone meaning that your teeth could become loose. If you have periodontitis, it is really important to remove the bacteria from beneath your gums.
How do you do that?
The treatment usually involves careful cleaning below the gums, decontaminating the roots of the teeth to encourage the gums to reattach. This should be performed under local anaesthetic and typically requires up to four sessions with a periodontist or specially trained hygienist.
Really? Four appointments just to clean my teeth?
Remember that this is a completely different procedure to a normal routine cleaning. But with modern techniques, it can often be completed much faster. We prefer to call this type of non-surgical treatment ‘periodontal detox’ or subgingival scaling.
Sounds intense. How often would I need to do that?
Normally just once. The aim of treatment is to encourage your gums to heal so that there are fewer places for bacteria to collect. After a few weeks, with good oral hygiene and home care, your gum health should start to improve. However, you should return for regular appointments to make sure your mouth stays healthy.
What does that mean?
The current guidelines advise regular maintenance visits every three months to prevent future problems. That means a review of your oral hygiene and thorough cleaning of your teeth and gums, including all of the places that are hard to reach with your toothbrush.
Yes, but how much does it cost?
For patients who have previously received periodontal treatment, these appointments represent excellent value for money. More expensive dental procedures (such as dental implants) may be required if your teeth and gums are neglected. On the other hand, regular routine care from your periodontist or hygienist should maintain your teeth for the long term at a fraction of the cost of even a single dental implant.
But do I really need all of that? I’m pretty sure my gums are healthy.
Don’t forget that gum disease often doesn’t cause symptoms until it’s too late. Visit your periodontist in Dubai for a thorough examination.
GOT A QUESTION FOR THE GUM GARDENER?
We'd love to hear your question and we'll do our best to answer it in a future post on The Gum Garden.