Deep cleaning? I'm freaked out and I want to cry.

[yj207]

I had 3 cleanings so far with my dentist and the first time I got them cleaned was before braces were put on. The hygienist said I have gingivitis and told me I need to floss. The 2nd time she said the same thing, my gums were very sensitive and bled each time she touched it. However 3rd time I got my cleaning couple weeks ago she said there were no big problems except for one area she said to watch out for and did not even scold me about my gums or flossing. My teeth were cleaner than ever since I upped my cleaning routine. The only thing that changed as far as habits went was me flossing more and using a waterpik. I think once you start getting in the habit of thoroughly cleaning your teeth your gums will get better. Even if you get your teeth thoroughly cleaned you have to maintain it, it wont' fix without you flossing/brushing everyday.

I really wouldn't take it personally that the dentist said you need to get a cleaning and all that stuff. Generally it is harder to keep your teeth clean with braces on and some recommend getting cleanings every 3 months instead of 6 (depending on the person - with braces) my gums get swollen sometimes but doesn't last more than a week.

One of my previous professors told me that he went to the dentist and it was going to cost him a ton of money to fix it because he had all sorts of damage on his gums and teeth. He refused to pay and decided to up his routine and did that for a month? Or two? I'm not sure but after he did that and went back to the dentist they said that his teeth/gums were fine. So your gums will heal and improve if you maintain your cleaning routine.

Anyway about your dentist, I'm sure you can find another dentist that's more sensitive to your feelings but when it comes to your teeth you need to know the truth not someone to sugarcoat it. I don't know the seriousness of your condition but if it is that serious I would get it taken care of instead of putting it off. There's no point in having braces if you can't keep your teeth.

[drrick]

The "general" starting protocol is 4 quadrants of SC/RP
Then Periodontal Maintenance every 3 months (seems like a regular cleaning but is more involved)

Re-evaluation will be done periodically to see if further periodontal treatments are needed.

Home care is critical to success as any treatment will fail w/out proper home care. SO you have to 'keep up' with what has been done

[balniusc]

Don't be afraid. The deep cleaning procedure is not painful and it's very important you get it done. I, too, let my dental hygiene slip at the end of college. By the time I got back in the chair it had been about 4 years. I had some pretty deep pockets and had to get the deep cleaning (which ended up being less painful than some regular cleanings I've had). After that I switched to an electric toothbrush and made sure to floss every day. Flash forward several years and in the course of a major move, graduate school and a pregnancy I didn't visit the dentist for 2 years. (Bad, I know!) But when I finally did go back my teeth and gums were in excellent shape. It's not the end of the world and in no way an indication that you are going to lose your teeth. Think of it as a wake up call that you need to take better care of your teeth and the deep cleaning is the magic "reset" button

[ashesgap]

My husband has been in the military for a little over 12 years, after 4 years of marine corp his teeth are horrible. Mostly because when they went out in the field (all the time, for 2-6 weeks at a time) they didn't get toothbrushes, just toothpaste. Then in the Air Force the dentists are very busy, so even though he gets cleanings every 6 months, they aren't thorough enough at all. Today he is getting his final side deep cleaning, and thank goodness. His teeth already look better. And we now have him on a pretty strict cleaning routine (me and his perio nurse this includes an electric toothbrush (one of the best you can buy) flossing every night, using a pic everynight, a flouride gel at night and mouthwash in the mornings after brushing. Its a lot of work, but he doesn't want to have to do the deep cleanings again. Get the perio work done with a periodontist, they won't do work that doesn't need to be done. Then stick with cleaning your teeth really well...and they won't be falling out of your head anytime soon.
Also don't be scared, they numb my husbands mouth before any work is done.

[alimommy1]

Hi Cathykay,
I haven't posted here in quite awhile but this popped up as I was searching for info on inman aligners. Anyway, I can give you my experience with 'deep cleanings' and perio maintenance. I have recently switched to a new dentist and I am SO GLAD I did. I had been going to an office very near my home, but it seemed every time I went or I brought my older kids, the place was like a money pit. I'm 35, I believe I was pregnant with my youngest when I first went to their practice, so that was approx 7 years ago. I was told I'd need a deep cleaning and after that, the RDH told me I'd need perio maintenance, meaning I'd have to go in every 4 months for additional cleanings. My ins only pays for twice a year, so I explained to them that I was not willing to pay an additional $85 plus for one more cleaning. Oh, they argued with me and tried to tell me that I'd have all sorts of problems if I did not do what they suggested. I was also told initially that I needed an antibiotic wash and arestin, which is some sort of abx that is inserted into a pocket and left there.

Now I DID decide to get all this treatment initially, since I had actually not been to a dentist in awhile because I had moved and then gotten pregnant - I was both sick and then did not want to be exposed to xrays, etc. I had the first deep cleaning and abx and medication and then had two more cleanings that year. The following year I requested to just have the regular two recommended cleanings and they again argued with me, telling me that the condition would worsen if I backed off. The office ALSO told me that once you start perio maintenance you have to keep doing it, that 'normal' cleanings are not enough.

WELL. Like I said I went to a new dentist rather than continue having people try to get me to spend money and argue with me. My gums were not swollen and bleeding ordinarily, flossing and brushing never caused them to bleed. When I went to the new dentist I told him that I had been on perio maintenance and they had told me all this stuff about how I needed special mouthwash and a water pik, also they had been after me to get several crowns because they were concerned about me chipping two teeth in the front.

My new dentist gave me a cleaning - but he said I didn't need perio maint because the pockets were 3 or less, and there was no reason I would need 3 cleanings a year, 2 were sufficient. He also sent me to an ortho for a spring retainer so I can have a few teeth straightened so there won't be any worry about me 'chipping' them - I lost my retainer probably over a year ago so of course I wasn't wearing it lol. Much much cheaper (and more satisfactory to me!) than two $700 crowns!

Anyway, I would definitely get a second opinion about the deep cleanings/perio treatment, and if it does turn out you need it, if it works well and your hygiene at home is good, yes it can be reversed and your gums can be healthy again. Make sure you find a dentist or RDH you are comfortable with though, and also make sure they can show you proof of need - sometimes ins will pay for extra treatment if your dentist shows proof that ignoring the situation will cost them more in charges in the future.

[alimommy1]

OH.. one more thing - the ortho that I went to also checked my perio health and bone and he said it was healthy. I am not sure what was up with the old office I had gone to but they also had tried to tell me one of my kids needed extra cleanings. All a bit hokey to me!

[drrick]

Sounds like the first office did a good job getting you healthy.

Often on re-eval docs will try to extend your recare visits away from 3 months back to 6 to see how you do. Sometimes you can go back to that other times you cannot.

Also keep in mind periodontal disease comes in spurts. You can be fine for a while then have a regression.

One more thing to remember your insurance company doesnt care if you lose your teeth or not. The fee for 1 or 2 more periodontal maintenance visits per year can save you gum surgery and much more costly, more invasive and more involved treatment. Just something to keep in mind.

[rolo]

How often would you get cleanings in my situation. Prior to pregancy, I had perio readings of 0 and 1, and got a cleaning done yearly. This time I had a two and the rest one of my perio readings were one. I am in the UK if that makes a difference to the numbers. The dentist felt sure the higher readings were due to early pregnancy hormones, not helped by an area that my lingual brace made hard to reach...(that or they said this to make me feel better!) I used corsodyl gel for a couple of weeks, as advised and booked a checkup for six months, they didn't mention coming any earlier, does this sound okay? Should I be going back sooner???

[cathykay]

Thanks to everyone who replied, I appreciate it.

I read what everyone had to say and have had some time to breathe and think about it all more clearly. The whole thing does make me anxious but I am trying to be more open-minded about it and think positively.

I'd like to make it clear that the dentist really did have something odd about it. My mom picked up on it as well and when I told some friends what happened at the dentist office, everyone said he sounded like he was money hungry. He does charge a lot compared to other dentists offices in the area. In addition, he refused to refill my cavity unless I got a deep cleaning done that day even though I had gone in as an "emergency" patient. Another dentist I went to later that day to fill in my cavity (whom my parents and some family go to) fixed it no problem and charged us much less.

The dentist office I spoke of turns out to be a chain. I knew there was more than one office in the area but I figured it was no different than a doctor having multiple offices in different parts of the neighborhood. I live in New York and this dental company (or whatever you would call it) has offices all the way in California too. I read some reviews online from various locations and it turns out that many people have had similar experiences to mine. Many said that they wrongly diagnose you and that they really push deep cleanings for many people.

When looking at my smile in the mirror, I don't see anything wrong and neither does anyone else. When I open my mouth and look at the back of my bottom teeth I do admit to seeing build-up that needs at least a cleaning. If it turns out I do need a deep cleaning, I'll find a way to deal with it. I'll keep reminding myself that it is for the best in the long run. However, I am not going back to that expensive office because they overcharge, have bad reviews, and I am simply uncomfortable there. I plan on getting a second opinion first and will take it from there.

Thanks again to those who replied!

[catfish]

I think you're smart to listen to your instincts on this dentist, and to go for a second opinion. You need to be comfortable with your dentist since you will be relying on him/her to advise you on the dental care you need to keep your teeth for a lifetime. If the second dentist finds that you have periodontal issues, then you know you need to do something. If you do have periodontal issues, it would have been disastrous to ignore it because of bad feelings about the first dentist. The second opinion is the right step to sort that all out.

Good luck, and I hope you find a dentist you're comfortable with!

[50+]

Personally, I think it is a rip off and some dentists say you need it to get more money out of you!

[drrick]

Dentists make MORE money when things get bad so really it would be better to wait till things get worse than prevent future problems if they were really in it for just the money.

[fosterp]

Dentists make MORE money when things get bad so really it would be better to wait till things get worse than prevent future problems if they were really in it for just the money.

That is true assuming there is a problem to begin with. However in my experience the fact that there is a problem to begin with isn't always a question of fact, and the financial incentive is there to diagnose a problem with a solution that is profitable when problem may not exist or be easily fixed with a less costly solution.

I have had experiences similar to OP, trying to save money by going to one of those "chain" offices that accepted my dental plan payment as 100%. Around 9k in dental work was "needed" (which included those deep cleanings), also of note were replacement of fillings that had just been done less than a year. It seems common that no doctor will openly criticize or call another professional opinion "wrong" however its obvious that disagreement is common in the medical profession.

I would say if you think their recommendations are unwarranted, at least step up the cleaning routine, and those waterpiks seem to do amazingly well at cleaning your gums.

[50+]

I agree, fosterp.

Unfortunately, old fashioned dentists no longer exist. We are in the digital age where they can see A LOT more than the conventional xrays - which I guess is good but not all insurances cover these new things. I'm trying to find a dentist that I feel won't rip me off so that they can pay their bills. Right now every dentist's office I've talked to only does digital xrays and will not use amalgam. I need better insurance!! Something to look into....

[drrick]

Some docs are better at diagnosing than others and some have higher standards than others. There are serious consequences for over-treating and the GREAT majority of docs will not overtreat (Not only for moral and ethical reasons but also legal reasons).

If you have doubts of course get a second opinion but keep in mind the only thing 2 doctors will agree on is that the third doctor is wrong. How many different tx options were you all given at your various ortho consults? Judging by the posts here and what I hear everyday at the office there are multiple opinions/options given. Trust me on the professional dental boards I visit ther are HEATED discussions over treatment options for all types of situations.