Cleaning and Gum Treatment / Periodontics

What is the difference you ask?

Scaling and polishing is usually done at regular 6 monthly intervals to remove plaque and tartar from above the gum line and to remove stains from red wine, tea of coffee that have built up over the part few months. The removal of stains and tartar will give you nice white teeth while the removal of the bacteria in plaque can prevent more severe forms of gum disease from occur-ring

Root planing is similar to scaling and polishing in the sense that your dentist will also remove plaque and tartar from your gums. However, in root planing, your dentist will have to go UNDER the gum line (usually with local anaesthesia) to remove the plaque and tartar that have accumu-lated in the gum pockets associated with Periodontitis.

Periodontitis occurs when bacterial plaque, a sticky white film composed of food debris and bac-teria forms on the teeth. If the plaque is not removed, it can turn into a hard substance called calculus or tartar in less than two days. Tartar then acts as a further bacteria trap due to its rough surface.The bacteria in plaque infect the gums, and release toxins that cause redness and irritation. It can cause the bone surrounding the teeth to dissolve. When this happens, the gums separate from the teeth, forming pockets that fill with even more plaque causing even more in-fection. A vicious cycle now ensues. And it leads to shaky teeth and bad breath from the build up of bacteria in the gums.