[birdiebill]

All deep cleanings are not a scam. Periodontal disease starts around the necks of teeth as gingivitis or an inflammation of the gingival tissues (gums). Gingivitis usually causes slightly enlarged gums, often reddened in color and often bleeding especially when brushing or flossing. Gingivitis can usually be treated by a routine dental cleaning, improved efficiency of tooth brushing, and effective flossing of the teeth. Sometimes oral rinses are indicated. Gingivitis is caused by bacteria that reside in the dental plaque that accumulates on our teeth. Gingivitis is diagnosed by a clinical exam that includes periodontal probing around the teeth.

Deep cleaning, which includes root planing (root scaling) is indicated if periodontal probing around the necks of the teeth discovers "pockets" between the gingival (gum) tissue and the root surface of the teeth and/or if the probing elicits bleeding or discovers calculus (tartar) on the surface of the root in the pocket. A pocket is a deepened space between the gum tissue and the root surface. Deepened space means more than three or four millimeters in depth. "Pockets" are caused by inflammation due to bacterial plaque accumulation on the root surface and on the calculus A pocket is discovered by periodontal probing. As "pockets" grow deeper from periodontal disease, bone loss occurs around the roots of the teeth. A Periodontist is a dental specialist that treats periodontal disease and other periodontal conditions.

I would ask why the deep cleaning/root scaling is necessary. The indications are the presence of one or more of the following: pockets with or without bone loss, bleeding on probing, and/or detectable plaque or calculus on the root surface in the pocket.