Plaque and tartar
(dirty-looking mineral deposits) on the teeth near the gums are the most often
cause of gum disease. During your visit to the dentist, you might have heard
him/her suggesting that you get ‘scaling’, i.e. ‘professional cleaning’, or
‘oral prophylaxis’ done. If you’re wondering what it is and if it necessary
that you get it done, you should read this post.
Why is ‘scaling’ or ‘professional cleaning’ necessary?
The procedure is necessary
to remove the plaque and tartar (grey, yellow, brown hard deposits on the teeth
near the gums) which are one of the major reasons that cause gum disease.
A few minutes after
brushing, a very thin layer made up of saliva, proteins, and bacteria - also
called the pellicle - is formed on the tooth surface which acts as a base for
bacterial attachment and growth. Within a few hours the accumulation of various
species of bacteria along with sugar from the food we eat results in formation
of a pale yellow or white sticky substance known as dental plaque. This if left
on the teeth can attract minerals from the saliva and harden causing tartar.
Both these are detrimental for the health of the gums and can cause gum
disease, which on progressing, can manifest as periodontal disease.
Professional cleaning or scaling helps remove these and reverses gum
disease or prevents the progression to periodontal disease.
How often should you get it done?
Your dentist will be the
best judge of how often you need to get it done. Most dentists recommend a
twice a year routine. If you maintain your oral hygiene exceptionally well,
some of them recommend that you get it done once a year.
How is it done?
In the early days, dentists
used manual instruments for the procedure. This was time consuming and labor
intensive. With the advent of technology, ultrasonic scalers are now being
increasingly used. The ultrasonic scaler consists of a hand-piece with a
variety of tips which are used depending on the type of tartar being removed.
The tips vibrate at a very fast rate and are cooled down by a water spray.
Will it be painful? Will there be bleeding?
If there are only
superficial tartar deposits, it may not be painful. If there are deep deposits,
your dentist will usually use local anesthesia before the procedure.
There may be slight bleeding
as the plaque and tartar usually cause gum inflammation and touching highly
inflamed gums can cause bleeding.
I’ve heard that teeth become loose after the procedure. Is it true?
This is a common myth. The
tooth may appear to be ‘loose’ after the procedure especially if you are
suffering from periodontal disease. However, this isn’t because of the
procedure. Even though there is loss of supporting structures like the gums and
bone, the tartar surrounding the teeth may hold the teeth together and give a
false sense of stability. When this tartar is removed, the teeth lose their ‘faux
anchors’ and may appear loose.
Are there any precautions to be taken before and after scaling?
Since scaling dislodges
tartar which contain bacteria, people with reduced immunity, for example, suffering
from cancer, HIV, etc. or heart disease may be advised to start a course of
antibiotics before the procedure.
الجير هو طبقة صلبة تتكون على الأسنان بالقرب من اللثة، وهو السبب الرئيسي
لإلتهاب وأمراض اللثة.
كيف يتكون الجير؟
بعد تناول الطعام
تتكون على سطح الأسنان طبقة رقيقه من البروتين، ثم تبدأ البكتيريا الموجودة بالفم
بالإلتصاق بهذه الطبقة، ثم تبدأ المعادن المتواجدة باللعاب بالترسب في هذه الطبقة
لتكون طبقة صلبة يصعب إزالتها بفرشاة الأسنان، ويكتسب الجير اللون الأصفر أو
الرمادي أو البني.
ما هي أضرار الجير؟
بما آن طبقة
الجير تحتوي على البكتيريا فهي تتسبب بإلتهاب اللثة وإلتهاب الغشاء المحيط بجذر
السن مما يؤدي إلى نزيف اللثة وإنحسارها عن السن. كما أنها تؤدي إلى تآكل العظم
المحيط بجذر السن الذي ينتهي بلخلخة السن.
كيف تتم عملية إزالة الجير؟
كانت
تتم إزالة الجير يدويا بوساطة أدوات مخصصة لهذا الغرض. أما الآن فيستخدم جهاز
بتكنولوجيا الموجات فوق الصوتية التي تتميز بالسرعة والكفاءة وتوفير الراحة
للمريض.
كم مرة يحتاج المريض لإزالة
الرواسب الجيرية في السنة؟
ينصح بإزالة الرواسب الجيرية مرة كل ستة أشهر. وينصح بعض المرضى بإزالته
مرة كل أربعة أشهر نظراً لزيادة معدل تكون الجير لديهم.