Scale & Root Planing Aftercare

After your dentist has treated your gum disease with dental scaling and root planing at cherrywood dental, you should find a few almost immediate improvements.  First, your gums should be less red and experience less bleeding.  Your gums should even appear to be less swollen.  You are encouraged to get back to brushing and flossing twice a day as usual.

Discomfort/Pain

If you are starting to experience pain or discomfort, just take a breath and know that the pain should go away within a few hours.  Your gums may feel a bit achy near the injection site or even throb in some of the areas where the dentist had to perform more work.  You may even find that your usual toothbrush is too firm so switching to a soft bristle toothbrush.

Tooth Sensitivity

As your teeth adjust to the cleaner and healthier environment, they may be sensitive to extra sweet foods, highly acidic foods or even hot or cold foods.  As your gums heal and return to strong health, the sensitivity will subside.  You could talk to your dentist about using a sensitive toothpaste temporarily.

Bleeding

As your gums heal and return to strong attachments to clean teeth and roots, you may notice a small amount of blood.  You may notice the minimal bleeding after you brush your teeth.  If the bleeding increases or does not subside after two to three days, be sure to follow up with you dentist

Appearance

If your dentist completed a root planing after your dental scaling, your mouth will be trying to calm down after getting the plaque removed.  The root surface will be the most exposed until the gum heals back to the surface of the root and tooth.

Instructions to Minimize Symptoms

If your dentist included root planing as a part of your treatment plan, then taking your time to incorporate hard, crunchy foods.  While raw vegetables are always a good snack, they may taste better and chew more easily a few days after your scaling and planing.  Sticking with softer foods for up to a week will help you feel your best.

Discomfort/Pain/Sensitivity

If your dentist injected your mouth with a local anesthetic to numb a certain area of your mouth, wait to eat or drink until the feeling come back.  One of the important reasons why you want to wait is so you do not injure your tongue or cheeks by biting them.

As the numbing agent wears off, acetaminophen or ibruprofen may help to reduce swelling and throbbing.  Within a week, the pain should subside and not require lasting treatment.

If your teeth feel more sensitive to certain foods or temperature, talk to your dentist about using a sensitive toothpaste.  Potassium nitrite is one of the best known ingredients to help sensitive teeth.

Oral Hygiene

After your timely and costly investment in your mouth at the dentist's office, it is important to keep it up at home.  Brush, floss and rinse with warm salt water twice a day to prevent future infection, gum disease and plaque buildup.

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