Teeth scaling and root planing is often referred to as deep cleaning in which your gum lines are thoroughly cleaned to remove the sticky plaque surrounding your gums and teeth. We all know that dental plaque is among the major halitosis causes and avoiding the dental plaque by doing regular brushing and flossing is among the important dental hygiene tips. If ever growing plaque is not treated in time then it may result in gum disease that may cause severe mouth infection and teeth loss as well.
Thus, if you have a gum disease (periodontal disease) due to poor oral hygiene routine, smoking, aging or hormonal change then you must go with a proper teeth scaling and root planing procedure even if you have to bear a small scaling and root planing pain as well.
What Is Scaling and Root Planing?
Scaling and root planing is all about cleaning the sticky plaque around the gumline to treat the gum disease; otherwise, an untreated gum disease may lead to teeth loss and poor teeth structures. So, it is always preferred to go with scaling and root planing to avoid most complex oral problems.
What Happens during Root Planing and Scaling?
Teeth scaling and root planing is also called deep cleaning. It is all about removing the dental plaque from the pockets between your teeth and gum and then reattaching your teeth with gum perfectly, so your teeth won’t get loose or won’t be severely infected by the bacteria.
First of all, the dentist evaluates your gum condition if you have a severe gum disease or if it is in an early stage. After evaluating your teeth sensitivity and gum disease, a dentist considers all about scaling and root planing risks and the overall scaling and root planing pain involved in the specific deep cleaning procedure. According to risk assessment, your teeth are scaled either from manual procedure or ultrasonic procedure.
Is Scaling and Root Planing Painful?
No! There is no obvious pain associated with scaling and root planing; however, you may feel some discomfort during the process depending upon your teeth sensitivity. It can still be combated via some local anesthesia.
After the scaling and root planing, you may feel some sensitivity and discomfort for the next few days, so you may avoid hot foods or cold beverages for a couple of days and then everything may be restored.
Does Scaling and Root Planing Hurt?
No! Usually there won’t be any unbearable scaling and root planing pain during the scaling and root planing (deep cleaning) because it is a non-surgical method to remove the plaque or tartar from the gum line between the gum and teeth.
There are many ways to remove the dental plaque depending on the severity and rigidness of the dental plaque on the gum line:
Scaling and Root Planing Risks
There are also some probable scaling and root planing risks involved along with dental cleaning benefits. Do consider them before going for scaling. Always prefer to consult with a specialized dentist to know more about the specific risks associated with scaling.
1. Pain and Discomfort
A mild pain and discomfort is common in every dental procedure e.g. root canal procedure pain, scaling discomfort and tooth extraction pain etc. The very common and understandable risk that is involved in teeth scaling and root planing is obviously pain or discomfort. Some people may face less pain and discomfort for a shorter span while others may continue facing it due to their over sensitive teeth. Eventually, it fades away.
2. Tooth Sensitivity
One of the most prominent dental scaling and root planing risks is the tooth sensitivity. It is obvious that there would be some pressurized direct/indirect rubbing on your enamel and gum line to remove the sticky film of bacteria – plaque. This continuous rubbing may cause your enamel to become weak and your teeth may become more sensitive after the scaling but this risk can be avoided by going with dental polishing after the scaling.
3. Bleeding
You may face some bleeding while brushing for a few days after the teeth scaling but it may recover within a few days; otherwise, you may contact your nearest dentist.
4. Spacing
Due to dental plaque, your gum line is infected by plaque, so covered plaque should be removed from gum lines and between the teeth gaps, so you may feel some more spacing among the teeth right after the scaling and root planing.
5. Infection
If you have a weak immune system, then the bacteria may cause some mild infection when they are pulled over from sticky film (plaque). They may enter into your mouth and blood stream as well. That’s why you should use some antibiotics if you face some infection after tooth scaling or root planing.
How Often Do You Need Scaling and Root Planing?
It all depends on several factors like your specific gum condition, rigidness of your dental plaque, the sensitivity of your teeth and your overall immune system plus your annual income. Usually, it is recommended that you should go with scaling and root planing twice a year to completely get rid of the dental plaque and gum disease. If your gum disease is caught at an early stage, it may be fully cured within a single visit to the dental office.
That’s why don’t make it a thumb rule that you should do scaling twice a year; instead, consult a top dentist to discuss scaling and root planing in Glen Burnie.
