Common knowledge and professional recommendations encourage patients to attend the dentist twice annually, but not everyone heeds such valuable advice. Often times a patient waits until a noticeable oral problem arises prior to visiting the dentist. During problematic times, people often need a more thorough cleaning and appointment for dental scaling and root planing. As oral procedures, dental scaling and root planing are forms of periodontal therapy, a non-surgical method to treat gum disease, such as gingivitis. Such deep cleaning methods help to remove built-up plaque and tartar around and below the gum line, medically known as prophylaxis, for consistent oral health care. Prophylaxis is a definitive cleaning method, suggesting that a patient will have a fully clean mouth by the end of the appointment.
In some cases, a patient experiences excess bacteria build up and requires multiple cleaning sessions in order to treat and remove the tartar. Dentists and hygienists may recommend quadrant scaling, a method of oral cleaning that focuses on only one-fourth of the mouth during each session. Thus, four cleaning appointments are required in order to fully and thoroughly clean the mouth. The amount of plaque deposits, in addition to the condition of the gums, determines if a hygienist and dentist will administer an anesthesia to ensure comfort for the patient.
To maintain a healthy mouth, dentists recommend regular visits and a consistent daily regimen of brushing flossing and utilizing mouth rinse. Dr. Alexander Ash in Studio Dental Care located in Studio City offers procedures of general dentistry for any patient in the Los Angeles region. Dr. Ash serves customers in the Burbank, Sherman Oaks, and Toluca Lake areas offering regular routine cleanings and quadrant scaling customized for each patient. Call today and speak with a friendly customer care representative to schedule an appointment for any oral care procedure or appointment. It’s never too late for a clean mouth.
By Alexander Ash, DDS
Dr. Ash is the founder of Studio Dental Care. He earned his Doctorate at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry, followed by two General Residencies at New York-Presbyterian / Weill-Cornell Hospital and the UCLA Sepulveda VA Hospital.