If you are having an unusual amount of plaque and bacteria in your teeth and gums, you may need to have a more deep cleaning to ensure that you do not develop gum disease. After all, if plaque and tartar is left on the teeth it provides the right conditions for bacteria to thrive.
The bacteria irritate the gums, which means that they bleed more easily. You may notice this if you are brushing your teeth, or eating, and sometimes your gums may bleed a bit.
This is the early stage of gum disease called gingivitis. If you have gingivitis, your dentist or hygienist will clean your teeth by scaling and polishing them.
They may also recommend an antiseptic mouthwash containing chlorhexidine and show you how to brush and floss your teeth effectively. Most adults have some degree of gum disease.
If gingivitis is left untreated, the inflammation will work its way down towards the foundations of the tooth causing a "periodontal pocket." Again, within the confines of the pocket, the conditions are such that the bacteria can have a right old party, and cause more damage.
Gum disease can break down the bone of the teeth, so that eventually, they will become loose. The problem is that until it gets quite severe, the person often has no symptoms.
Sadly, the damage to the support structures is irreversible. The good news is that if it is caught in time, its progression can be halted and improved upon.
To stop it from progressing, your dentist may advise periodontal therapy, or deep cleaning. This gets rid of the bacteria in the pocket and provides the necessary conditions for healing to occur.
There is some confusion about the difference between scaling and root planing. Scaling is basically the process of removing dental tartar from the surfaces.
Root planing is the process of smoothing the root surfaces, and removing any infected structure. If you have gum disease or pocketing, the pockets will have deepened, thereby allowing tartar deposits to form under the gumline.
The two processes tend to blur together since during the process, the dental worker scales away tartar and performs any necessary root planing at the same time. Any roughness can be planed away to result in a silky smooth surface.
Depending on the depth of the cavity, and severity of the irregularity, the dentist may wish to make the area numb so that the process is more comfortable for you. Do not hesitate to discuss with your dentist or hygienist how to best manage any discomfort.
As an alternative to anesthetics, a topical agent might be an option to try with deeper pocket cleaning. It is a special non-injection device that delivers topical anesthetic gel gently into the gum pockets thereby avoiding numbing of the lips and or tongue as can occur with injected local anesthetics.
It mostly numbs, so it may not be effective in eliminating all sensations. Some offices may not have this device, so it is best to check with your dental office.
Sometimes if the damage is not too severe yet, there may be little or no discomfort during the procedure - even without numbing. The only sensation may be the physical scraping feeling as the area is cleaned and smoothened.
Typically, the deep scaling and root planing procedure might be broken down into quadrants of work per appointment. For example, the upper right side of the mouth might be worked on one day, and the three other parts worked on at separate appointments.
The dentist may use antibiotic gels within the infected area, or may rinse out the pocket with various medications such as chlorhexidine. This will remove any bacteria, and harmful substances.
Discomfort can vary after the procedure, but one can expect it to be more sore afterwards since it's usually in a deeper region under the surface. The enamel can become a bit more sensitive to temperature, and bleeding might occur for a little while.
Over-the-counter painkillers such as ibuprofen work very well to alleviate discomfort, but stronger painkillers can be given should you need them. Talk to your dentist about your needs, and your pain.
Brushing and flossing can be delayed, or done more gently to avoid aggravating any bruised or tender gum areas. Your dentist or hygienist may recommend salt water or chlorhexidine rinses.
If you feel this is the right step for you, talk to your doctor right away. The sooner you can catch a problem in the making, the better.
Author Resource:-
Ronald Pedactor is a former dental assistant and has authored hundreds of articles relating to oral health and cosmetic dentist in Santa Cruz. He has been a guest dental lecturer for over 15 years.
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