Every 6 months or twice a year is the American Dental Association’s recommendation.

If you have gum disease, then a more intensive gum treatment called deep cleaning is recommended. Without treatment, the tooth is at risk for further bone loss and gum infection. Without regular cleaning, over time soft plaque can harden from absorbing the minerals found in your saliva. The hardened plaque appear as white, yellow, or dark coating around the tooth, especially around the inside of the lower front teeth. This collection of hardened plaque around the tooth is composed of bacteria that causes the gum to become red, bleed, and painful. The bone is affected by the bacteria and will become less supportive of the tooth as it shrinks away from the bacteria deposits. Ultimately, the tooth is coated from the top to the root with hardened bacteria and there is no bone support and the tooth becomes loose and falls out.