Family Dentistry San Diego

Quality Teeth Cleaning in San Diego

You should be seeing a dentist you trust for regular teeth cleaning in San Diego. Regular dental checkups and teeth cleaning is vitally important to good dental health. A large part of Dr. George’s practice is focused on dental hygiene.

Dr. George has found many adult patients who have avoided the dentist for years. Often these patients are in need of a deep cleaning, which is also referred to as a scaling and root planing.

The first time you have your teeth cleaned with our hygienist, she will take measurements of the pocket depth between your teeth and gums. These measurements help to determine what type of dental cleaning you will need. If the periodontal pockets are deep, there is gum disease present. Bacteria in these pockets can cause inflammation, bleeding gums, and possible bone loss.

Do you have gum disease? Symptoms are:

• Swollen or inflamed gum tissue
• Bad breath
• Sensitivity at the gum line
• Receding gums/exposure of the roots
• Gums that bleed easily

Scaling and root planing is a procedure that is performed to remove bacteria, plaque, and tartar build up on the teeth and root surfaces. The procedure is usually done in multiple appointments to make it more comfortable for the patient. Local anaesthetic is usually given before the procedure begins. A small scaling instrument is used to carefully remove plaque and tartar from the top of the tooth all the way down to the bottom of the periodontal pocket. In order to allow your gums to heal and reattach to the tooth, we plane or smooth the root surfaces. In some cases an antibiotic or alternative medicine will be placed in the pocket after it has been scaled and planed. Our office also offers laser bacteria removal of diseased tissue during this procedure. Please see more information on the Laser page.

In addition to being harmful to your mouth, gum disease can be harmful to your overall health. It can lead to a higher risk of heart disease, weaken the immune system, and has been associated with other chronic inflammatory conditions. The health of our patients is a top priority. Yours gums are the foundation of your mouth.

Make an Appointment

Visit our office for teeth cleaning in San Diego cosmetic dentistry and family dentist office, conveniently located at University Town Center in La Jolla.  Call (858) 552-1223 to schedule your consultation with Dr. George today.