On this page
- What is a periodontal cleaning?
- How is a periodontal cleaning different from a regular cleaning?
- Which periodontal cleaning do you need?
- How often do you need a periodontal cleaning?
- How will your gums feel after a periodontal cleaning?
- What are the risks of a periodontal cleaning, or of skipping it?
- What affects the cost of a periodontal cleaning?
- Care at Perio One
- When to call us
- What to expect
- Common questions
At a glance
- A regular cleaning keeps healthy gums healthy; a periodontal cleaning treats gums that already have disease.
- The two main kinds are a deep cleaning, also called scaling and root planing, and periodontal maintenance.
- Pocket measurements, bleeding and X-rays decide which cleaning you need.
- Deep cleanings are usually numbed, and most people go back to their day afterward.
- After gum disease, many people need cleanings every few months rather than twice a year.
What is a periodontal cleaning?
A periodontal cleaning removes plaque and tartar from below the gumline, where gum disease does its damage. It is care for gums that are infected, or that have been treated for infection. A regular cleaning, by contrast, is prevention for healthy gums.
The phrase covers more than one kind of visit. Most often it means a deep cleaning, called scaling and root planing, or the periodontal maintenance visits that follow it. Both reach deeper than a routine cleaning, but they do different jobs.
Knowing which one you're getting helps explain why the visit takes longer, why it may be numbed and why it may be billed differently.
How is a periodontal cleaning different from a regular cleaning?
The difference is where the cleaning reaches, and why. A regular cleaning removes plaque and tartar at the gumline and just under it. A periodontal cleaning goes down the root to the bottom of each pocket, where bacteria and tartar keep the infection going.
Healthy gums fit snugly, with shallow spaces of about 1 to 3 millimeters around each tooth. Gum disease deepens those spaces into pockets that a toothbrush and a routine cleaning can't reach. Cleaning only the top of a deep pocket leaves the problem in place.
Sometimes tartar is so heavy that the gums can't be measured at all. Then a first cleaning, called a full-mouth debridement, may come before the exam is finished. It clears the way, but it doesn't replace any deeper cleaning that follows.
| Kind of cleaning | Who it is for | What it does | How often |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular cleaning | People with healthy gums | Removes plaque and tartar above and just below the gumline | Often twice a year |
| Cleaning for gum inflammation | Swollen, bleeding gums with no bone loss | A more thorough cleaning to calm gingivitis before it spreads | As needed, then back to routine visits |
| Deep cleaning (scaling and root planing) | Periodontitis with pockets and bone loss | Cleans and smooths the roots to the bottom of each pocket, usually with numbing | Once for the areas that need it, repeated only if needed |
| Periodontal maintenance | People already treated for periodontitis | Cleans below the gumline and rechecks pocket depths | Often every three to four months |
Which periodontal cleaning do you need?
Your gum measurements decide. During a periodontal exam, a thin probe measures the space around each tooth, and any bleeding is noted. X-rays show whether bone has been lost.
Many people need different care in different parts of the mouth. One side may need a deep cleaning while the other needs only a thorough cleaning. Your stage of gum disease also shapes the plan.
If you've been told you need a periodontal cleaning and aren't sure why, ask to see your gum chart. The numbers should explain the recommendation.
- Shallow spaces, little bleeding and no bone loss: a regular cleaning is usually right.
- Bleeding and swelling but no bone loss: a cleaning aimed at gingivitis, plus better home care, can often reverse it.
- Pockets of 4 millimeters or more with bone loss: a deep cleaning is the usual first step.
- Periodontitis that has already been treated: periodontal maintenance keeps it under control.
How often do you need a periodontal cleaning?
A deep cleaning is usually done once for the areas that need it. After a recheck several weeks later, most people move on to periodontal maintenance. Those visits are often every three to four months at first.
Your periodontist picks the interval after seeing how your gums heal. Some people can stretch the time between visits once their pockets stay stable. Others need to stay on a shorter schedule, especially if they smoke or have diabetes.
Bacteria settle back into cleaned pockets within weeks to months, which is why twice-a-year visits often aren't enough after periodontitis. Good daily cleaning at home helps your results last between visits.
How will your gums feel after a periodontal cleaning?
After a deep cleaning, gums are often tender for a few days, and teeth may be sensitive to cold for a while. After a maintenance visit, most people feel only mild soreness, if any. Either way, you can usually go back to work the same day.
Bleeding when you brush should lessen over the next week or two as the gums heal. If it doesn't, mention it at your next visit.
- Wait until any numbness wears off before you eat.
- Brush gently and keep cleaning between your teeth, even if there is some bleeding at first.
- Pick softer foods for a day if chewing feels sore.
- Rinsing with warm salt water can soothe tender spots.
What are the risks of a periodontal cleaning, or of skipping it?
Periodontal cleanings are low-risk. Tenderness, a little bleeding and sensitivity to cold are the most common side effects, and they usually fade. After a deep cleaning, healed gums may sit slightly lower and show more of the roots.
Less often, an area becomes infected after treatment. Call us if swelling spreads, pain grows after the first few days, or you develop a fever. Go to an emergency room or call 911 if swelling is severe or you have trouble swallowing or breathing.
Skipping a needed periodontal cleaning carries the larger risk. Tartar left in deep pockets keeps feeding the infection, and bone loss can progress without much pain. Over time, teeth can loosen and may be lost.
Before treatment, tell us about heart conditions, joint replacements, diabetes and any blood thinners. Some health conditions change how cleanings are planned.
What affects the cost of a periodontal cleaning?
The cost depends on which kind of cleaning you need and how much of the mouth is treated. A deep cleaning of one section costs less than all four, and a maintenance visit is priced differently from a routine cleaning. For an estimate based on your own exam and dental plan, call our office.
Many dental plans handle periodontal cleanings differently from routine ones. Checking with your insurer first helps avoid surprises.
- Whether you need a deep cleaning, maintenance visits, or both over time
- How many sections of the mouth are treated
- Whether X-rays or a full gum exam are due
- How many periodontal cleanings your plan pays for each year
Care at Perio One
At Perio One, the kind of cleaning you get is based on an exam, not a one-size schedule. Dr. Randal Comeaux, DDS, Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology, and Dr. Lauren Langlois, a board-certified periodontist, go over your measurements and X-rays in plain language.
Stubborn pockets can be cleaned with the help of periodontal endoscopy, a tiny camera that shows the root on a screen. Your maintenance interval is then set around how your gums respond.
Patients in Lafayette and across Acadiana can call us directly; no referral is needed. We coordinate with your general dentist, so your regular checkups and gum care work together. If dental visits make you nervous, tell us, and we'll explain each step as we go.
When to call us
- Your gums bleed when you brush or floss
- You were told you need a periodontal cleaning or a deep cleaning
- Your gums look puffy or red, or seem to be pulling away from your teeth
- It has been more than a year since your gums were measured
- You've had gum treatment and are overdue for maintenance
Our periodontists, Dr. Randal Comeaux and Dr. Lauren Langlois, can talk through what you’re noticing.
Call to scheduleWhat to expect
- Gum exam
Each tooth's pockets are measured, bleeding is noted and X-rays are reviewed.
- A plan in plain language
You see which areas need which kind of cleaning, and why, before any treatment is scheduled.
- Cleaning below the gumline
Plaque and tartar are removed from the roots, with numbing for a deep cleaning.
- Recheck
Several weeks after a deep cleaning, your pockets are measured again to see how they healed.
- Ongoing maintenance
Regular visits, often every three to four months, keep gum disease in check.
Common questions
Is a deep cleaning the same as a periodontal cleaning?
A deep cleaning is one kind of periodontal cleaning. The term periodontal cleaning covers any cleaning below the gumline that treats or controls gum disease. That includes the first deep cleaning, called scaling and root planing, and the periodontal maintenance visits that follow it. Your gum measurements show which one you need at a given visit.
How often do I need a periodontal cleaning?
After treatment for periodontitis, most people start with a maintenance cleaning every three to four months. Your periodontist sets the interval based on how your gums respond, how well plaque is controlled at home, and health factors such as smoking or diabetes. Some people can space visits further apart once their gums stay stable, while others keep a shorter schedule.
Does a periodontal cleaning hurt?
A deep cleaning is usually done with a local anesthetic, so you should feel pressure and vibration rather than pain. Maintenance cleanings are often comfortable without numbing, though a tender area can be numbed if needed. Afterward, gums may be sore for a day to a few days, and teeth can be sensitive to cold for a while.
Why can't I just get a regular cleaning?
A regular cleaning is designed for healthy gums and reaches only just under the gumline. If you have pockets from gum disease, tartar and bacteria sit deeper than that. Cleaning only the top would leave the infection in place, where it could keep damaging the bone around your teeth. Your gum chart shows where a deeper cleaning is needed.
How long does a periodontal cleaning take?
A maintenance visit often takes about an hour. A deep cleaning usually takes an hour or two per visit, and the mouth is often treated over two or more visits. The time depends on how many teeth are involved, how much tartar there is and how deep the pockets are. Your plan will list the visits ahead of time.
Can I go back to regular cleanings after gum treatment?
Sometimes, but usually not right away. Gingivitis that clears up can return to routine cleanings. Periodontitis is controlled rather than cured, so most people who have had it stay on periodontal maintenance. Some alternate maintenance visits with their general dentist once their gums are stable. Your periodontist will tell you when, or whether, your schedule can change.
Is a periodontal cleaning covered by insurance?
Many dental plans cover periodontal cleanings, but they often treat them differently from routine cleanings. A plan may limit how many visits it pays for each year, or pay a different share. Ask your insurer how it covers scaling and root planing and periodontal maintenance. Our office can help you make sense of the answers before treatment starts.
Sources
- American Academy of Periodontology: Non-surgical treatments
- National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research: Periodontal (gum) disease
- Cleveland Clinic: Gingivitis and periodontal disease
- MouthHealthy (American Dental Association): Scaling and root planing
This page is general education, not a diagnosis. Your periodontist will recommend care after an examination.