28 Mar 2023 A joyous smile is what everyone wants. A whitened and a picture perfect smile comes by maintaining a salubrious oral health. In order to maintain a beautiful you need to maintain your oral health as well as you need to go for regular dental checkups too.
If you do not maintain a good oral health then there are numerous oral diseases which takes away the radiance of your smile. You end up developing some severe gum diseases such as periodontitis in that case you would require tooth scaling and root planing. Tooth scaling and root planing is done for the removal of tartar and for treating inflamed gums.
This procedure is used in order to scrape off the hardened tartar on the surface of the teeth and roots. These treatments helps in protecting your smile and also does the prevention of tooth loss, gums and bones. Let us know more about tooth scaling and root planing.
What Are Tooth Scaling And Root Planing?
Both tooth scaling and root planing are known as deep cleaning in the field of dentistry. This procedure is performed in order to get rid of the hardened up tartar on the top of teeth and roots. You might require these treatments if you are suffering from periodontitis which is also known as an advanced gum disease.
Whereas tooth scaling helps in the removal of tartar from the surface of your teeth. Root planing removes tartar from the roots of your teeth which is located below your gum line.
Who Performs Tooth Scaling And Root Planing?
Dentists and periodontists who are also known as gum disease specialists are the ones who offers the treatments of gum disease. The procedure is usually done by a dental hygienist. Both the procedures of tooth scaling and root planing takes place during the same dental visit. In that case you would usually need more than one appointment in order to do the treatment of your teeth.
When Does One Require Tooth Scaling And Root Planing?
If you are the one who is already prone to periodontal disease then in that case you are at the higher risk of developing periodontitis disease when you get older. And according to the survey nearly 3 in 4 adults over the age of 65 have the problems of periodontal disease and in that case you require tooth scaling and root planing.
In order to save yourself from gum and tooth diseases kids and adults should have their teeth cleaned via scaling for at least twice each year. Periodontal problems can cause tooth decay and gum infections too.
What Are The Risk Factors Of Periodontitis?
Some of the risk factors of periodontitis includes:
#1. Diabetes.
#2. Family history of gum disease.
#3. Several health conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and arthritis.
#4. Hormonal changes which are related to oral health, such as pregnancy gingivitis or those brought on by certain types of birth control.
#5. Improperly fitted dental bridges or defective dental fillings.
#6. Overbite or crooked teeth (malocclusion).
#7. Poor oral hygiene.
#8. Smoking.
#9. Stress.
When Do You Require Teeth Scaling?
Your dentist would recommend for teeth scaling and root planing if your mouth is suffering from the signs of chronic periodontal disease. These procedures helps to stop the harmful effects of the condition and also keeps your mouth healthy.
Chronic periodontal disease occurs when the bacteria in plaque cause your gums to pull away from your teeth. This in turn causes large pockets to grow between your teeth and gums, and within these pockets more bacteria can grow in such places where you cannot clean only through brushing.
Hence it is an essential thing to floss after brushing your teeth as because there are several places in the area of your mouth were the bacteria thrives but the toothbrush cannot clean it alone. That’s why it’s key to floss regularly to reach spots that toothbrushes can’t.
So What Happens To You If There Is An Untreated, Chronic Periodontal Disease?
If the chronical periodontal disease is left untreated then it can lead to
#1. Bone and tissue loss
#2. Tooth loss
#3. Loose teeth
#4. Moving teeth
Why Chronic Periodontal Disease Does Occurs?
Some of the reasons why chronic periodontal disease occurs is because of
#1. Poor dental hygiene
#2. Smoking
#3. Aging
#4. Changes in hormones
#5. Poor nutrition
#6. Family history
#7. Other medical conditions
You may experience deep pockets in between your gums and teeth due to chronic periodontal disease, but there are several other symptoms of the condition, which includes:
#1. Bleeding gums
#2. Inflamed, red, or tender gums
#3. Bad breath
#4. Shifting permanent teeth
#5. A change in your bite
How One Should Prepare For A Deep Teeth Cleaning?
There is no particular rule which you need to follow or prepare before scaling or root planing. Though some dentists might recommend you to rinse your mouth with a very strong antiseptic mouthwash. Some dentists recommend this because there would be a lot of bacteria transferred to your blood during the process of root planing.
Apart from rinsing the mouth with a mouthwash, you can also follow several other oral health habits like oil pulling, oral probiotics, and eating a low-carbohydrate and low-sugar diet to drive down inflammation.
Doing this will not only help in preparing your immune system for brief exposure to more bacteria, but it will also help you make the first steps for halting gum diseases. If you’re concerned about sensitivity or pain, you can also use an over-the-counter pain reliever before the procedure.
What Occurs Before Tooth Scaling And Root Planing?
Periodontal diseases are something which usually don’t end up causing pain. Your dentist might diagnose you with periodontitis during the process of dental check-up. Dentist might also get the dental X-rays done in order to look into problems like cavities, an abscessed tooth, tooth infection or bone loss. If you are having periodontitis, then in that case your provider would discuss the treatment options with you. Tooth scaling and root planing will take place during a future appointment.
What You Should Expect From Tooth Scaling And Root Planing Treatments?
The deep dental cleaning is done below the gum line in order to remove tartar from each teeth, and including the roots too. In order to minimize any kind of discomfort or pain your dentist would numb your mouth’s area with the help of a local anesthetic. Then you’re awake for the procedures.
What Happens During The Time Of Tooth Scaling?
Your dentist uses a vibrating tool which is known as an ultrasonic scaler in order to perform the scaling process. These steps may take place during tooth scaling:
A vibrating metal tip on the scaler helps in scraping the tartar off of your teeth and above your gum line. A water spray on the scaler washes away the tartar and flushes plaque from the gum pockets.
The dentist uses a manual dental scaler and a scraping device which is known as curette in order to remove small remaining pieces of tartar.
What Happens During Root Planing?
Root planing is just like tooth scaling the only difference is it takes place on the roots of your teeth which sits below your gum line.
During the process of root planing, your dentist would use a tool in order to gently push aside your gum tissue and doing this exposes the surface of the roots.
Then your dentist uses the same tooth scaling tools for chipping tartar from the roots, and this maks the tooth smooth. At times, they may also inject an antibiotic medication directly into any gum pockets.
What Is The Difference Between Scaling & Root Planing?
By now you have known what is root planing and scaling and how both the procedure is performed. But what is the difference in between these procedures? Keep o reading and you get to know the key differences in between the two procedures.
Root planning is the procedure in which any area of the tooth root that is infected by bacteria gets cleaned. This treatment involves the removal of plaque and tartar and also smooths the roots of the tooth where it sits beneath the gum line.
Whereas scaling is done in order to clear away the tartar and plaque which gets accumulated on surface of the teeth that is located above the gum line. Both of these procedures are a vital thing in order to maintain a good oral and dental health.
What Happens After Tooth Scaling And Root Planing?
Now that you have got a clear idea on the differences of root planing and tooth scaling. Now a question might arise in your mind that what happens after tooth scaling and root planing? After the process of tooth scaling and root planing is performed bacteria and plaque are less likely to stick to the smooth surfaces of your treated teeth’s enamel.
Not just that after the procedure is done there are less chances of inflammation as your gums begin to heal. Your healthy gums can get reattached more firmly to the smoothed tooth roots.
After the entire process is done and with the follow-up appointments, your provider is going to measure the pockets which surrounds your gum tissue and gum lines. If the pockets haven’t decreased, then in that case you might require a periodontal surgery. Surgical treatments for periodontitis includes:
Bone grafting for replacing lost bone with bone from a donor or lab-made material.
Flap surgery in order to make a gum pocket smaller by lowering your gum line.
Soft tissue grafting for replacing lost gum tissue with tissue from the roof of your mouth.
How Many Dental Appointments Are Need For Tooth Scaling And Root Planing?
The total number of dental appointments that you require for scaling and planing depends entirely on how severe your conditions are based on your dentist’s preferences. There are some dentists who only treat one side of your mouth this includes both upper and lower teeth just in one visit. After that are required to visit for the second time for treating the other side of your mouth.
Some dentist treat each mouth quadrant separately instead. For instance, they scale and plane only the lower right side of your mouth. While during your next appointment, they might treat the upper right side of your mouth. If the treatment occurs like this then you are going to have four appointments all total.
What Are The Benefits Of Tooth Scaling And Root Planing?
So what are benefits of these procedures? There are several studies which have shown that tooth scaling and root planing both are an effective treatments for periodontitis. These treatments are performed so that you can save yourself from losing gum tissues, teeth and bones.
What are the risks of tooth scaling and root planing?
By now you have already gone to the advantages of root planing but do you know that there are several disadvantages too which are related to tooth scaling and root planing. Tooth scaling and root planing can cause temporary discomfort during the time of healing. But the overall risks after the treatment are minimal ones.
People with certain heart conditions, like endocarditis, or who have synthetic heart valves may need to take antibiotics before they are getting any dental procedures done. Antibiotics helps in lowering your risk of a bacterial infection. You needed to ask your dentist and your cardiologist if you need to take this preventive step for yourself in order to stay on the safe side.
What Does Recovery Like After Tooth Scaling And Root Planing?
After to process of teeth scaling and root planing is done then your gums might be temporarily swollen and they are also tender after the procedure is complete. Apart from the tenderness of the gums your teeth might also feel sensitive. In this case you need to follow your dentist’s instructions for a speedy recovery.
Other than that you need to follow several other things mentioned below for a speedy recovery.
#1. Avoid foods and drinks that are too hot or cold.
#2. Consume soft and mushy foods like eggs after the surgery.
#3. Take pain relievers and antibiotics.
#4. Use an antimicrobial mouth rinse.
After Care Tips When The Procedure Is Done?
After the procedure of deep cleaning is done, you might feel pain for a day or two and there might be teeth sensitivity for up to a week. Apart from the teeth, your gums may be also swollen, and during this time you would feel tender and bleed. And in order to prevent infection, and control your pain your dentist may prescribe a pill or mouth rinse for the process of healing. Your dentist may also insert medication of subantimicrobial-dose doxycycline directly into the pocket that was cleaned. Other than that your dentist will also schedule another visit to see how your gums have healed and measure the depth of your pockets. If they notice that the depth of your pockets have gotten deeper, then in that case more treatment may be needed in order to heal.
Good dental care at home is essential to help keep gum disease from becoming more serious or recurring. Such as brushing your teeth for twice a day with the help of a soft brush, and also cleaning your teeth, eat a balanced diet, avoid using tobacco and see your dentist regularly.
FAQ’S
Now that you have known everything related to teeth scaling and root planing, there are a few questions which you need to know about scaling and root plaining.
- Can you eat right after the procedure of scaling is done?
After the procedure of root scaling is done you don’t have to wait for hours for eating after your dental cleaning. In fact, you don’t have to wait at all. Yes you have read that right you can eat right after a dental cleaning.
- Does scaling remove yellow teeth?
Does scaling and polishing whitens the teeth? Yes. Scaling and polishing is not primarily designed for whitening the teeth, as that is what teeth whitening treatments are meant for. With that said however, a scale and polish will in fact l eave the teeth looking smooth, shiny, and whiter after the treatment.
- Do you bleed during scaling?
Though bleeding from gums after deep scaling is normal in most of the cases and subsides after 2-3 hours without any conscious efforts, there are some patients whose gums tends to bleed more and often persists for longer than 72 hours depending upon severity of inflammation.
- What is the next step after scaling and root planing?
About three or four days after the procedure, you should be able to brush normally again. In addition, your dentist will likely recommend that you rinse your mouth using either an antimicrobial rinse or a warm salt water rinse.
- Do all teeth need scaling?
When do you need teeth scaling? Your dentist will recommend teeth scaling and root planing if your mouth has signs of chronic periodontal disease. These procedures can help stop the harmful effects of this condition and keep your mouth healthy.
- How can I whiten my teeth after scaling?
Dental scaling and polishing done to remove tartar and any surface stain a few days before whitening procedure is an important first step. We do not want bleeding gum after heavy scaling to disturb the bleaching procedure. After waiting a few days, teeth are generally clean and gum is healthy for this procedure.
- Is there an alternative to dental scaling?
Although hand scalers are quite an effective thing, but these things must be used carefully for avoiding damage to gum tissues or, during deeper cleaning known as root planing, the tooth roots. A different method for plaque removal known as ultrasonic scaling has grown in popularity as an alternative to manual scaling.
- How can I scale my teeth naturally?
You can clean the teeth using baking soda. You can make a mixture of baking soda and salt as it is an effective home remedy for dental calculus removal. Other than that brushing your teeth with baking soda and salt softens the calculus, helps in making it easy to remove. The mixture should smoothly be scrubbed on the teeth by using a toothbrush in order to remove the tartar.
- Is dental scaling a surgery?
Dentists typically use the procedure of periodontal scaling and root planing as the first steps for the treatment of gum diseases. Periodontal scaling and root planing are nonsurgical ones. They are more of a deep cleaning that is done with handheld instruments or ultrasonic devices.
- What happens to gums after scaling?
What is recovery like after scaling and root planing? After your procedure, you might experience gum and tooth sensitivity for a few days. You may also experience redness, swelling, and bleeding of your gums. However, with a good oral hygiene routine, this should go away within days after your procedure.