Deep Cleaning and Root Surface Debridement: Treating Gum Disease
For anyone told they need deep cleaning for gum disease. Deep cleaning, or non-surgical periodontal therapy, removes plaque and tartar from root surfaces inside gum pockets. This page explains how it differs from a routine clean and how success is judged. The takeaway: UK guidance judges it by shallower pockets and less bleeding at re-measurement, and it depends on daily cleaning.
5.0 from 550+ Google reviews
Open 8am to 8pm, seven days
Free parking at the door
CQC & GDC registered
No referral needed
Clinically reviewed by Dr Ibraheem Ijaz, dentist · GDC 301711
Medical disclaimer: This page is for general information only. It does not replace an examination or treatment by a dentist.
Dr Ibraheem Ijaz, GDC 301711, a General Dental Practitioner and the principal dentist at Deepcar Dental Care, reviewed this page. His qualifications are BDS, BSc (Hons), MSc (Leeds), PG Dip Implant Dentistry and PG Cert Restorative and Aesthetic Dentistry.
What is deep cleaning for gum disease?
Deep cleaning teeth is a treatment for gum disease that cleans the root surfaces inside the pockets below the gum line.
Dental teams also call it non-surgical periodontal therapy. The Scottish Dental Clinical Effectiveness Programme (SDCEP) calls it subgingival instrumentation, a form of professional mechanical plaque removal, and notes it was previously described by terms including root planing and root surface debridement. It aims to remove plaque, bacterial toxins (endotoxin) and tartar below the gum (subgingival calculus) from the root surface.
Deep cleaning treats periodontitis, the form of periodontal disease in which the gum edge is no longer properly attached to the tooth, leaving a space called a periodontal pocket, as the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust gum disease leaflet explains. SDCEP notes that people with periodontitis typically have pockets of 4 mm or more, or visible gum recession between the teeth. The NHS lists deep cleaning under the gums among treatments for serious gum disease.
How is deep cleaning different from a routine clean?
Deep cleaning is therapeutic treatment for periodontitis below the gum line, while a routine clean removes plaque and tartar from the crowns of the teeth.
In SDCEP guidance, the first step of care for everyone includes cleaning plaque and tartar from the crowns of the teeth. For healthy gums or gingivitis, the early and reversible stage of gum inflammation, it may be all that is needed. Deep cleaning, the second step of treatment for periodontitis, goes below the gum line to the root surface.
Because it aims to control a disease, deep cleaning is judged on measurements of the gums, not on how smooth the teeth feel afterwards.
What happens during deep cleaning?
In general, deep cleaning starts with measuring the gums and then cleans each affected root surface below the gum line.
Dental teams screen the gums with a basic periodontal examination (BPE) and, where it finds deeper pockets, record a six-point pocket chart (for moderate pockets, after initial therapy including self-care advice), as Delivering Better Oral Health, the UK government's prevention toolkit, advises. SDCEP recommends cleaning below the gum at sites with pockets of 4 mm or more that hold deposits or bleed when measured.
Hand instruments, powered instruments that vibrate and spray water, or both can be used, and SDCEP reports no difference in cleaning quality between them when either is used effectively. The work can be spread over several shorter appointments, one section of the mouth at a time (quadrant treatment), or done across the whole mouth within 24 hours, with no difference in clinical outcomes.
SDCEP warns that deep cleaning will fail if plaque control at home is not good, and pairs it with coaching on brushing and cleaning between your teeth.
Deep cleaning at Deepcar Dental Care
At Deepcar Dental Care, deep cleaning is non-surgical periodontal therapy, including root surface debridement. The practice's gum care includes BPE screening at every examination and full six-point periodontal charting.
Does deep cleaning or root planing hurt?
Deep cleaning can be painful for some people, so it is usually done with local anaesthetic to numb the gums.
SDCEP notes that some people feel pain during cleaning below the gum, which may come from sensitive teeth or the gum tissue, and that local anaesthesia can make treatment more comfortable.
At Deepcar Dental Care, root surface debridement is carried out under local anaesthetic, and topical numbing gel is applied before every injection.
Afterwards, teeth may feel sensitive to hot, cold or sweet things. Leeds Teaching Hospitals says this often gets better after a few weeks, though a sensitive toothpaste may be needed. SDCEP advises that sensitivity can have other causes too, so tell your dentist if it does not settle. Desensitising treatment is also available at Deepcar Dental Care. Our guide to what is normal after deep cleaning covers healing.
How many appointments does deep cleaning take?
Leeds Teaching Hospitals says deep cleaning can take one long appointment or several, depending on the tartar and the number and depth of pockets.
SDCEP also weighs patient and clinician preference.
At Deepcar Dental Care, deep cleaning is a course of 2 to 4 visits, with a re-check 4 to 6 weeks after.
Questions about this treatment? Book online or call the practice.
What does UK guidance say about re-evaluation after deep cleaning?
In UK guidance, a re-evaluation appointment measures the gums again to check how they have responded to deep cleaning.
As Leeds Teaching Hospitals describes, it repeats the measurements taken before treatment, such as pocket depths and bleeding when the gums are probed. SDCEP uses the result, with plaque levels, to decide the next step: long-term care with regular reviews if the goals are met, or repeating the first step of care or further treatment for pockets that have not responded. Pocket depths and bleeding scores are explained in our guide to how gum disease is diagnosed.
What does success look like after deep cleaning?
In UK guidance, success after deep cleaning means pocket reduction, little or no bleeding and good daily plaque control.
SDCEP sets out these goals for someone with periodontitis:
- High levels of plaque control.
- Complete resolution of bleeding from the gums.
- Pocket depths of 4 mm or less throughout the mouth.
- No bleeding at sites that measure 4 mm.
SDCEP adds that these goals are not always achievable, and for some people the aim is to keep the teeth long term. Leeds Teaching Hospitals explains that treatment is not generally able to reverse the bone loss in periodontitis: in some cases the aim is to stop gum disease getting worse, in others only to slow it.
As the gums heal they may shrink, leaving new spaces between the teeth, small gaps near the gum sometimes called black triangles, or teeth that look longer (Leeds Teaching Hospitals; SDCEP). SDCEP links this to the pockets and swelling reducing as the disease stabilises. Tell your dentist about any change that concerns you.
What does UK guidance say if pockets remain after deep cleaning?
If some pockets stay deep after deep cleaning, UK guidance describes further options, such as more cleaning at the sites that have not responded.
SDCEP calls these non-responding sites. Besides another round of cleaning below the gum there, its options include gum surgery or onward referral for further care. Where stability cannot be achieved, SDCEP describes keeping the gums as steady as possible with regular care, accepting that some pockets deeper than 4 mm may persist. SDCEP advises that where treatment goals are not reached, periodontitis may get worse, with an increased risk of tooth loss.
How much does deep cleaning cost?
Deep cleaning has no line on the practice's current fee list.
Ask the practice about the cost when you get in touch. For other fees, see our page on treatment costs.
When should you speak to your dentist about your gums?
NHS guidance gives an action for each gum or tooth symptom below, from seeing a dentist to calling 999.
- Gums that bleed when you brush or eat hard foods, painful and swollen gums, or bad breath: see a dentist.
- Very sore and swollen gums, teeth becoming loose or falling out, ulcers or red patches in your mouth, or a lump in your mouth or on your lip, alongside gum disease: ask for an urgent dentist appointment.
- Toothache that lasts more than 2 days, does not go away with painkillers, or comes with a high temperature, pain when you bite, red gums, a bad taste or a swollen cheek or jaw: see a dentist.
- Toothache with swelling around your eye or neck, or swelling in your mouth or neck that makes it difficult to breathe, swallow or speak: go to A&E or call 999, and do not drive yourself.
If you do not have a dentist or cannot get an emergency appointment, call 111 or visit 111 online. Our urgent dental care pages explain how to reach the practice with an urgent problem.
Frequently asked questions
Can deep cleaning be done under sedation?
Yes, deep cleaning is among the treatments that can be carried out under sedation at Deepcar Dental Care. Sedation is available in house on request for adults aged 18 and over, and a separate pre-assessment appointment checks whether it suits you. You need an escort for the whole day. Our page on sedation dentistry explains how it works.
Does smoking affect the results of deep cleaning?
Yes, smoking weakens the response to gum treatment. Delivering Better Oral Health states that tobacco impairs the treatment response and that stopping can prevent further deterioration. Smoking cessation advice is available at Deepcar Dental Care if you want support to stop.
Do you need antibiotics with deep cleaning?
Usually not. SDCEP advises against antibiotic tablets for routine care of periodontitis: high-certainty evidence shows they can help, but side effects and resistance weigh against routine use. It suggests considering referral to a practitioner with advanced skills where antibiotics may help, such as younger patients with rapidly progressing (grade C) periodontitis showing little or no improvement after non-surgical treatment.
Can gum disease come back after deep cleaning?
Yes, gum disease can come back. Delivering Better Oral Health calls periodontitis a chronic disease that will recur and worsen without good plaque control, and SDCEP notes that regular reviews help spot changes early. At Deepcar Dental Care, the recall interval after treated gum disease is 3 to 6 months.
Book a consultation.
Online in under a minute, or call and speak to a real person.
You can contact the practice through the online booking portal or by calling 0114 288 2121.
Deepcar Dental Care is at 334 Manchester Road, Deepcar, Sheffield, S36 2RH. There is free parking directly outside, and the practice is on the ground floor and wheelchair accessible. Patients describe their visits in our patient reviews. To compare other hygiene and gum treatments, browse this section.
334 Manchester Road
Deepcar, Sheffield S36 2RH
0114 288 2121
Contact us
Opening hours
Open 8am to 8pm, seven days
Free parking at the door