Consistent dental checkups and professional cleanings are preventative in nature and maintain healthy mouths.
Are your gums painful? Do they bleed easily? Do you have a bad taste or foul odor from your mouth? Gingivitis and its destructive relative, periodontal disease, affects more than 60 percent of adults to varying degrees. People with the above signs likely also have severe tartar buildup, calculus, inflamed and infected gums, bone destruction, aka periodontal disease, and will need either non -surgical or possibly surgical periodontal therapy. This therapy includes deep cleanings (aka scaling and root planing).
There is NO cure, which means the progression of this insidious disease must be stopped, or it can lead to severe bone loss and loss of most or all teeth. These infections of the mouth have also been linked to increases in heart disease as well. Our goal is for your teeth to last your lifetime, however, progressing periodontal disease may not allow that. A referral to a periodontal surgeon may be needed.
What to Expect
During deeper cleanings, we will clean and disinfect gum pockets, remove calculus, and tartar. During scaling, we will remove all the plaque and calculus both above and below the gumline. Root planing refers to smoothing out your teeth’s roots, helping your gums reattach to your teeth. In most cases, this treatment requires anesthesia (numbing) to make patients comfortable. We also encourage using over the counter Ibuprofen and/or Tylenol before and after the procedure. Dr. Banik will prescribe antibiotics to help eliminate the infection. Please ask us about the details.
Post-Care Instructions
After undergoing a deep cleaning, you can expect some mild discomfort, soreness, or throbbing and possible pain in your gums, especially after brushing and flossing. Your hygienist will review oral care habits, products, and tips to maintain a healthy mouth. If pain and bleeding do not subside after several days or a boil begins to form on your gums, contact Dr. Banik immediately. Tooth sensitivity to temperature changes and/or sweets may also occur, we recommend using a sensitive toothpaste to help with this.
Within the first few days following your treatment, we recommend avoiding hard foods such as potato chips or raw vegetables as well as all hot foods and beverages for at least the first two days. This treatment could also alter the appearance and feel of your teeth and gums may change as more space between teeth may be visible- swollen, infected gums become healthier and root surfaces may be more exposed as well. Depending on the severity, we may recommend returning in 4-6 weeks for re-evaluation. It is also critically important to have regular professional cleanings and checkups with us at least every 3-4 months to prevent the recurrence of this destructive disease. Don’t wait until it is too late to save your teeth! Contact our dentist in Charleston, SC, today.
