Going to the dentist isn't any fun, but it is one of those things that just has to be done. For years, I fought the process and didn't go for my regular cleanings and in the end, it sure didn't pay to do so. I ended up spending ten times as much time in the chair and a boat-load of money in dental repairs. If you don't like going to the dentist, you can make it easier on yourself. This blog will show you a few tips that can help you improve the experience and get through the treatment without as much discomfort.
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Scaling And Planing For Gum Disease
Jordan Arnold
If you have recently found out that you suffer from gum disease, your dentist, oral hygienist, or oral surgeon may have informed you of the phenomenon of root scaling and planing. Although root scaling and planing is only effective if the disease is not particularly salient or has not spread too far, it can be an absolute godsend for those with a slight form of gum disease who do not wish for it to spread or become exacerbated in any fashion. Throughout the course of this article, you will learn a bit about root scaling and planing.
What Is Root Scaling and Planing?
Root scaling and planing is only recommended for those with gum disease that is not particularly severe, in order to prevent it from becoming worse. This means that it has not spread to a great degree across the entirety of your mouth.
Root scaling and planing is essentially cleaning one's gums and teeth down to the very root. Root scaling and planing can be a particularly painful process, so a dentist will apply a local anesthetic to numb the experience of the pain. The dentist might also offer you a mild sedative during the process.
In some cases a dentist will use an advance ultrasonic tool in order to accomplish the scaling and planing, but in a good number of cases, the dentist will simply have to use analog tools to accomplish this goal. Advanced ultrasonic tools are generally considered to be markedly more comfortable and far less painful than the analog tools.
During the process, the doctor may place antibiotic fibers in the area between your gums and teeth; this is to ensure that infection does not set in and exacerbate the issues caused by your gum disease. These antibiotic fibers will also increase the speed of the healing process. Generally speaking, these fibers will be in place for approximately one week before you will have to make a return visit to the dentist and have them removed.
Why Is It Done And How Well Does It Work?
The primary reason that root planing and scaling is done is that by pulling away the gums from the teeth and giving both gums and teeth a thorough cleaning, the dentist is removing the primary source of gum diseases such as gingivitis and periodontitis: tartar.
Tartar is essentially mineral deposits that can cause severe damage to teeth and even worse damage to gums, and an ample amount of tartar ensures that your gums will most likely become infected. By addressing this issue early into gum disease, you can begin the healing process and make sure that the issue is not exacerbated by allowing tartar to stay in place.
So long as good oral hygiene is practiced after root scaling and planing is finished, which means brushing and flossing two times a day, the gums tend to heal up quite nicely and will return to a nice pink hue.
What To Expect After Treatment
Due to the anesthetic that is used in the process, you will generally feel numb for several hours after the process. There is very little in way of pain or even discomfort after the process, however. Most people feel fine after the anesthetic wears off, and they can generally resume normal eating and drinking habits right away.
Root scaling and planing is a great way to clean your teeth and gums to an incredible degree, and a great way to prevent gum disease from spreading and causing more problems for your oral health. If you are suffering from gum disease, and don't want it to get worse, talk to a dentist from a clinic like Dental Associates PC about having this procedure done.
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