The Smile Edge

You may have undergone dental cleaning carried out by your dentist. And you may also have heard about deep cleaning. You may wonder about the difference between the both. In simple words, regular dental cleaning is a simple and straightforward cleaning procedure. On the other hand, deep dental cleaning is a bit complicated and time-taking procedure. Deep cleaning is also known as periodontal cleaning, aka scaling and root planing. This treatment is specifically for the people who haven’t seen dentist for a long time and, so, they need a special kind of treatment for the removal of hardened plaque buildup.

Time at which deep cleaning gets necessary

The scaling and root planing are typically suggested when pocket developed underneath the gums reach 5 millimeters or more. And if you have huge plaque buildup, your dentist may recommend a deep cleaning to put your oral hygiene back on track. It mainly depends upon the dental exam that your dentist will conduct in order to know what’s right for you.

The deep cleaning treatment

A dental cleaning treatment may require one or two dental visits to complete depending upon the severity of case. The process mainly involves removal of plaque around the teeth with the help of metal tools, laser device or ultrasonic device. The dentist will use ultrasonic device to remove any plaque left outside and under the gums. The entire tooth will then be irrigated with antibiotic to speed up the healing process which mainly involves reattachment of gums to the teeth.

What to expect after the deep cleaning

After the deep cleaning, you will be more prone to pain and infection; and you really need to do something to deal with it. Your dentist will suggest the use of antibiotics to deal with the pain and infection. Moreover, you will need to make sure that your oral hygiene routine is up to the mark. You will need to go for the follow up visits to make sure that you are doing well after the treatment. If you use tobacco in any way, you need to keep in mind that tobacco is highly detrimental to the health of your gums and other sensitive tissues in your oral cavity.

Preventing periodontal disease

The best thing you can do for your oral health is to make sure that you are preventing infections from occurring. More specifically, you will need to follow measures to prevent gum disease which is dangerous not only for your oral cavity but also for your entire health.

You can expect your first grader to come back home and tell you about his/her first loose tooth. At this post, you need to tell you kid about the loss of primary teeth and the erupting of permanent teeth. Although your kid may ask a lot of questions, you may find yourself in a position needing answers of a few questions regarding teething, falling out of the primary teeth and erupting of the permanent teeth.

The difference between primary teeth and permanent teeth

Primary teeth are essentially the placeholders for permanent teeth. These primary or baby teeth fall out to allow permanent teeth to grow. And what you may not know here is that primary teeth are pretty different from permanent teeth in terms of composition, size, structure and number.

Primary teeth have thinner enamel which makes them look quite whiter as compared to permanent teeth. Moreover, the total number of primary teeth is 20. On the other hand, the number of permanent teeth is 32 which also include four third molars.

When do permanent teeth come?

The first permanent teeth erupt at the age of 6. And since permanent teeth have to replace the primary teeth, primary teeth have to fall out to make space for the permanent teeth. By the age of 13, children get 28 permanent teeth. The four third molars start erupting at the age of 17 and grow fully by the age of 21.

What permanent teeth come first?

Babies get primary teeth first. Front teeth are the ones which appear before any of the other teeth. The first permanent teeth are the molars which appear at the age of 6. These molars are usually called extras because they do not replace any primary teeth. However, many parents mistake those molars to be primary teeth. They are, in fact, the permanent teeth and need to be taken care of in such manner.

Caring for the primary and permanent teeth

While people understand the importance of taking care of the permanent teeth, they usually overlook the importance of primary teeth. Although primary teeth have to fall out eventually, they are meant to support eating and speaking. Moreover, they are the placeholders for the permanent teeth. It means that their absence can result in reasonable reduction in the room for permanent teeth.

Hence, it is very important to take care of the dental health and hygiene. Make sure that you brush your teeth on daily basis and encourage your children to do the same. Moreover, it is important to visit the dentist after every 6 months.