Is Scale and Root Planning Painful

Periodontal disease is an advanced form of gum disease that can lead to gum recession, bone loss, and eventually tooth loss. If you are diagnosed with periodontal disease, the first step to restoring your mouth to a healthy state is with a deep cleaning, or scaling and root planing. This is a non-surgical deep cleaning performed by either your dentist or your dental hygienist, usually over the span of two or more appointments. How is scaling and root planing performed? Left untreated, periodontal disease can have a negative impact on the overall health of your mouth. Gum recession may require a gum graft to restore the tissue and if it progresses to bone deterioration, you may require a bone graft. Scaling and root planing can greatly reduce come irritation and recession and can help you avoid costly restorative procedures. When scaling and root planing is performed, you will be given a local anesthetic which is administered via injection to the area being treated. This allows the hygienist to scale deep below the gum line into each gum pocket to eradicate any buildup and infection and prevents you from feeling any pain during the procedure. Your hygienist will use a combination of manual instruments and ultrasonic instruments to make sure everything is clean and clear! The manual instruments are dental scalers and excavators that allow them to remove plaque buildup and bacteria from below the gum line. It gives them the ability to feel the surface of your teeth to make sure that everything is smooth and nothing is left behind. The ultrasonic instrument is a tool that uses a scaler tip that vibrates and sprays water. The vibrations help loosen plaque and the water spray flushes everything out of the gum pockets. Do I have to do anything to prepare for scaling and root planing? There is not really anything that you have to do to prepare for a deep cleaning. If you are a patient that has artificial joints, a heart valve replacement, heart disease or other medical conditions, you may need to pre-medicate with an antibiotic before your treatment. Ask your internist or orthopedic surgeon if you need to pre-medicate for dental procedures and of course, make sure that your dentist has your current medical history and list of medications. Is scaling and root planing painful? You should not feel any pain during the procedure itself since you will be anesthetized, but immediately following your deep cleaning, you may have some soreness. Most providers will only do half of your mouth at a time so that your entire mouth is not numb and you can have a little time to recuperate between treatments. After your treatment is complete, it is normal and expected to have some sensitivity and soreness. This should subside within a few days but it is important to be very gentle when brushing and flossing and to use an antibacterial mouthwash. You may also consider using a warm salt water rinse which will help keep everything clean and can be quite soothing to the gums! Your hygienist may put you on a more frequent cleaning schedule as opposed to the traditional two times a year. Patients with periodontal disease often need to have three or four cleanings per year to keep everything healthy and avoid more severe issues down the road.

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