Prophylaxis (Teeth Cleaning)

Prophylaxis is a teeth-cleaning process that assists in stopping the development of periodontal disease and gingivitis.

Bacteria in dental plaque are the foundation of periodontal disease. “Plaque” refers to the sticky substance that forms on your teeth. The immune system’s cells begin to release substances in effort to get rid of the bacteria. This leads to inflamed and damaged gums, the periodontal ligament, or the alveolar bone. This also causes gums to bleed and swell.

Implications of Prophylaxis/Teeth Cleaning

Prophylaxis (teeth cleaning) can help remove tartar, improve aesthetics, and promote fresher breath.

What does prophylaxis treatment involve?

There are several stages to performing prophylaxis:

• First, supragingival cleaning occurs by using scaling tools to remove plaque and calculus.
• Subgingival cleaning helps remove calculus from the gum pockets under the gum line.
• Root planning, which is the smoothing of the tooth root, helps remove remaining bacteria.