Got Gum Disease? Here's Your Next Step And What To Expect
Posted on: 14 December 2015
If your dentist has diagnosed you with gum disease -- also known as periodontitis -- there is still good news for most patients. Mild to moderate periodontitis is treatable without resorting to gum surgery. The first step for most patients is a simple in-office procedure known as scaling.
What is Scaling?
Dental scaling is essentially a deep-cleaning procedure that is similar to a standard dental cleaning but more thorough. Using elongated mirrors to see around and behind your teeth, the dentist will use one or two tools to clear away the plaque from your teeth individually. Plaque is a sticky film that builds up on teeth and contains large amounts of bacteria, which can eventually cause gum disease and damage your teeth. Brushing and flossing helps get rid of much of the plaque before it builds up, but is not always sufficient. Tartar also builds up, forming hard, calcified deposits on your teeth that contribute to gum disease as well.
How Is It Done?
The dentist is likely to begin with an ultrasound device that breaks up the tartar using vibrations and sprays of water. It generally doesn't hurt, but your dentist can adjust the settings if you are uncomfortable.
After this part is complete, he or she will move on to removing plaque and remaining tartar by hand. The instrument used most is called a curette or -- appropriately -- a scaler. These fine instruments scrape off buildup from each tooth surface and from the root surface below the gum line. This part of the procedure may cause some discomfort since the scaler has to reach all the surfaces of your teeth, so your dentist may suggest anesthetizing your mouth. If your teeth will require a lot of time and discomfort, you may decide to only work on half of the mouth at at time.
Your dentist will likely also want to do root planing, since scaling may leave rough surfaces that can attract more plaque. Root planing -- like other types of planing -- smooths the surfaces of the roots themselves, resulting in less irritation and less plaque being trapped.
What's Next?
Unless your periodontitis is severe, this procedure is likely to be sufficient to begin the healing process. Your dentist will work with you to help you set up a good routine of dental hygiene -- brushing, flossing and using other cleaning materials -- on a regular basis. Proper daily home care of your teeth as well as regular checkups is the route to avoiding a recurrence of gum disease.
So if you have been diagnosed with gum disease, talk with a local dentist, such as Simmons Craig A D D S, as soon as possible about different treatment options like scaling.
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