Can Teeth Fall Out After Deep Teeth Cleaning?
Your dentist should recommend deep teeth cleaning, or dental scaling and root planing, if you have developed gum disease from damaging plaque accumulated in the pockets between your teeth and gums, and in an advanced case, down your teeth roots. If left untreated, your gum disease can easily cause serious infections and unfortunate tooth loss.
Deep teeth cleaning includes removing the damaging plaque from your teeth below your gumline to remove the primary source of the gum infection. The procedure is more complicated than a regular teeth cleaning, where the persistent plaque is removed from your teeth crowns above your gumline.
What is Involved in the Process of Deep Teeth Cleaning?
Deep teeth cleaning includes the following steps:
- Initial Diagnosis- Before you begin a deep teeth cleaning, your dentist has identified your gum disease by measuring the gaps sagging between your teeth and gums using a periodontal probe. If the gaps are greater than 3mm than this is an initial sign of gum disease. Your dentist will also look for bleeding gums, swelling or inflammation, or if there are any loose teeth.
The three different levels of gum disease are gingivitis, periodontitis, and advanced periodontitis. Gingivitis is most often treated and reversed without a deep teeth cleaning, but both periodontitis and advanced periodontitis will each require deep teeth cleaning. X-rays will also identify if there is any bone loss.
- Your First Deep Teeth Cleaning Appointment- Deep teeth cleaning quite often takes two appointments. Your dentist uses a local anesthetic to numb and treat just one side of your mouth at each appointment. Numbing your entire mouth will make it challenging to talk, eat, or drink. The anesthetic makes sure you do not feel any discomfort through the treatment. A small, hand-held dental tool scrapes the plaque away from below your gumline. Your dentist could use a vibrating ultrasonic device to dislodge any stubborn plaque and tartar.
- Your Second Deep Cleaning Appointment- At your next appointment, your dentist will repeat the procedure on the other side of your mouth. They will also evaluate the completed side to see how it is healing from your deep teeth cleaning.
Each appointment will take a minimum of one hour and could take longer. If you have an advanced gum infection, you could also need additional treatment such as an antibiotic gel placed directly into your inflamed pockets. You may also be given an antibiotic or a mouthwash to help treat the gum infection.
- Your Follow-up Deep Teeth Cleaning Appointment- When you have finished both sides of your deep teeth cleaning, you will be scheduled to return in a few weeks for a review. During this exam, your dentist will measure again the size of the pockets to see if they are reduced and have returned to normal.
Can Teeth Fall Out after Deep Cleaning?
It is very unlikely your teeth will fall out after having a deep teeth cleaning. You could find that your teeth feel looser after your procedure. This is the result of removing the plaque from the pockets between the gums and teeth creating a gap, which might cause your teeth to feel loose. With proper healing, your gums will reattach to your teeth, making your teeth feel normal and secure again.