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Don't Let Dieting Impact Your Oral Health

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Don't Let Dieting Impact Your Oral Health

Like many people who need to lose a few pounds, I try diet after diet in an attempt to find one that finally works for me. I learned the hard way that I need to make sure any diet will not harm my teeth, even if it does help me lose a few pounds. I learned this lesson when following a grapefruit diet. There are many versions of this, but the version I tried had me eat a grapefruit alone several times each day. It was supposed to suppress my appetite. I helped keep me from munching on unhealthy snacks, but the acid in the fruit took a toll on my tooth enamel and I quickly started getting lots of cavities. I created this blog to remind people that change up their diets often to make sure the foods they are eating are not harming their teeth.

What Are Deep Dental Cleanings?

9 December 2020
 Categories: Dentist, Blog

When you visit a dentist regularly every six months, you typically get a standard cleaning and inspection as part of your visit. However, those that have not been to the dentist in a very long time will need a deep cleaning. Here is what you need to know about this different type of dental cleaning procedure.

Deep Cleanings Require Anesthesia 

Since a deep cleaning can be very invasive, it will require some sort of anesthesia to get the job done. Some people prefer to use a numbing gel that is placed on the gums, which is good for people that don't like needles. It doesn't make you entirely numb, but it will help ease discomfort. The other option is to use a shot of Novocain which will make that area of your gums entirely numb so that you don't feel a thing other than the brief moment where the needle is inserted. 

Deep Cleanings Require Multiple Visits

It can be difficult to have a deep cleaning done when your mouth is completely numb from the anesthesia. That is why deep cleanings are typically done in multiple visits, with the dentist only numbing half of your mouth each day. Otherwise, you may end up chewing on the side of your cheeks accidentally. The dentist will either numb the right or left half of your mouth, not the top or bottom. 

Deep Cleanings Go Below The Gum Line

The biggest difference between a regular cleaning and a deep cleaning is how far beneath the gum line the dentist will go. The anesthesia is necessary because the dentist will need to go deep into the gums to clean out any tartar that has formed in that area. You'll feel pressure while they are beneath the gums, but you shouldn't feel pain. If you do feel pain, let your dentist know so that they can apply more of the numbing agent. 

Deep Cleanings Will Cause Bleeding

You should go into a deep cleaning with the expectation that there will be bleeding afterward. This is normal, but it won't be the same as if you had a tooth extracted or anything like that. All you need to know is that the bleeding is due to needing to get under your gums to perform the deep cleaning and that proper home care after the cleaning will be the best way to prevent your teeth from getting to that state again.

Reach out to a dentist if you think you need a deep dental cleaning.