Years in Asheville
We file your out-of-network claims
Bleeding when you floss, gums that look puffy or pulled back, or a hygienist calling out numbers like five and six during your exam all point to the same thing. Bacteria have settled below the gumline, where a toothbrush cannot reach, and hardened tartar is giving them a place to hide. A deep cleaning removes that buildup before periodontal disease costs you bone and, eventually, teeth.
At Travis J. Calhoun, DDS, gum health is one of the strongest parts of our practice, and two experienced hygienists handle deep cleanings in our Asheville office as part of our gum disease treatment. Dr. Calhoun has cared for western North Carolina patients for more than 30 years, and his goal is to catch gum problems early enough to treat them without surgery.
Scaling and root planing is the clinical name for a deep dental cleaning, and it works below the gumline where a routine cleaning does not go. Scaling removes plaque and tartar from the tooth surface and from inside the pockets that form when gum tissue pulls away from the tooth. Root planing then smooths the tooth roots, so bacteria have a harder time reattaching and your gums have a clean surface to heal against.
Periodontal disease is more common than most people expect. According to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, about 42% of adults age 30 and older in the United States have some form of periodontitis, and the rate climbs to nearly 60% after age 65. A deep cleaning is the standard first treatment, and when gum disease is caught early, it is often the only active treatment needed.
A routine visit for dental exams and teeth cleanings works above the gumline and keeps healthy gums healthy. A deep cleaning treats gums that already show infection, reaches into the pockets themselves, and is usually split across two visits so we only numb one area at a time. Many patients need both, with a deep cleaning first and regular maintenance visits afterward.
Early periodontal disease rarely hurts, so most people do not notice it on their own. During your exam we measure the space around each tooth with a small probe, and readings deeper than about three millimeters suggest the gum tissue has started to detach. These changes are worth mentioning at your next visit.
Any one of these is worth an evaluation, and none of them automatically means you need a deep cleaning.
The earliest stage, gingivitis, can usually be reversed with a professional cleaning and better habits at home. Once periodontitis has caused bone loss, that damage cannot be undone, but scaling and root planing can slow or stop the disease. That is why a deep cleaning is followed by periodontal maintenance visits rather than treated as a one-time fix.
Our periodontal department is the part of this practice we feel strongest about. Two experienced hygienists, Beth and Angela, perform our deep cleanings, and continuity is the real advantage. With gum disease, what matters is whether a pocket got deeper or shallower since last time, and that comparison is more reliable when the same person takes and records each reading.
We use digital X-rays to check the bone around each tooth, and laser dentistry can support conventional instruments in the right cases. When a case moves past what we can treat without surgery, we refer you to a periodontist and stay involved in your care. We would rather tell you that early than treat something we should have handed off.
We numb the area first, so the appointment itself should feel like pressure rather than pain. Your hygienist usually treats one or two quadrants at a time, which keeps the rest of your mouth comfortable and lets you eat normally the same day. Some tenderness and sensitivity for a few days is common, and most patients manage it with over-the-counter pain relief and warm salt water rinses.
Most patients then move to a cleaning every three or four months for a while, because healing gums need closer watching, and over time your hygienist adjusts how often you should come in for cleanings based on how your gums respond. Cost depends on how many areas need treatment and how deep the pockets measure, so we give you a written estimate after the evaluation. As a fee-for-service office, we file claims on your behalf so you can use out-of-network benefits, and we offer CareCredit and Cherry financing.
Dr. Travis Calhoun grew up in Asheville, earned his dental degree at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and has cared for patients across western North Carolina for more than 30 years. He completes around 30 hours of continuing education each year, and his philosophy is simple: treat every patient the way he would want his own mother treated. Paired with two experienced hygienists, that approach keeps gum care here thorough, honest, and unhurried.
Bleeding gums caught this year are a far smaller problem than bone loss found three years from now. If your gums bleed, ache, or have started pulling away from your teeth, contact our office to schedule a deep cleaning evaluation, and we will tell you plainly whether treatment is needed.
Questions about payments and financing options? Give us a call at (828) 277-2722.
Dr. Travis Calhoun has been treating patients throughout Asheville and western North Carolina for over 30 years. A born-and-raised Asheville native, he studied at the University of Georgia before completing his dental training at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and has run a fee-for-service family practice here ever since. Patients trust his unhurried, detail-oriented approach to every treatment plan.
"It is my mission to treat everybody like they were my mom. I want to keep my skills at the absolute highest level so I can deliver the best dental care available, in a relaxed, laid-back atmosphere."
