How Long Does It Take for Gums to Heal After Scaling and Root Planing?

How Long Does It Take for Gums to Heal After Scaling and Root Planing?

August 1, 2022

Periodontal scaling and root planing are common procedures for dealing with periodontal disease. Gum disease is no joke. It is a subtle disease that affects the gums, bones, and supporting tissue.

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The idea behind scaling and root planing near you is to remove plaque and tartar accumulating along the gum line that causes periodontal disease. Following the root planing and scaling procedure, your gums will be less red, swollen, and prone to bleeding, meaning they are returning to their healthy state.

Even though you may enjoy several positive changes, you must be extra careful during recovery to ensure that you don’t experience unnecessary complications. Also, it takes some time before your gums heal. So, we will delve a bit deeper to see what you can do during recovery. But before that, let’s see why you may need the procedure.

Why You Need Scaling and Root Planing

Gum disease doesn’t occur overnight. It takes time to develop, and when left untreated, it can cause detrimental effects on your overall and oral health. In fact, it is linked with several other health-related issues such as hypertension, endocarditis, low birth weight, and diabetes.

The primary cause of gum disease is the accumulation of plaque and tartar along the gum line. Plaque occurs naturally in everyone’s mouth; however, it can be removed by regular teeth cleaning. Plus, regular visits to our dentist in Fort Lee, NJ, will ensure that the difficult places to reach will be cleaned.

Plaque easily comes out when you clean your teeth, but if it is not periodically removed, it will build up and harden, forming tartar. Tartar is much harder to remove and so you will need the best dentist for scaling near you to clean your teeth with specialized dental tools.

When tartar accumulates along the gum line, it causes gum inflammation, which characterizes the first stage of gum disease (gingivitis). Your gums will become loose, creating pockets that bacteria can hide in, leading to further infection. The infection can spread to the bones and lead to tooth and bone loss.

That’s why periodontal scaling and root planing are carried out. They are effective modes of treatment for gum disease.

How Are Scaling and Planing Done?

Deep cleaning involves two procedures, scaling and root planing. Scaling is done to remove all the tartar and plaque above and below the gum line, ensuring that the teeth are clean to the bottom of the pocket. Root planing will smooth out the roots to aid the reattachment of your gums.

You may need more than one visit to complete the procedure. Local anesthesia may be used, especially in severe cases.

After Scaling and Root Planing

Here’s what you will experience after our dentist in Fort Lee, NJ, carries out scaling and root planing:

  • Bleeding and Swelling

The area will be tender and sore to touch for about four to seven days. Your gums might even bleed when you clean your teeth. You shouldn’t panic since this is to be expected and should subside within two weeks.

  • Sensitivity

Another common symptom that occurs right after periodontal treatment is sensitivity. The gum tissue shrinks, and the root surface is usually exposed. So, you will experience sensitivity to hot and cold stuff. Also, you might experience sensitivity to sweet foods.

  • Pain

Pain after scaling and root planing usually occur because the local anesthetic has worn off. Plus, the teeth and gums have been thoroughly cleaned, so there will be some after-effects following the procedure.

Aftercare Tips

The symptoms explained above usually occur and don’t need to cause alarm. However, you must take care of your gums and teeth to minimize the effects of the symptoms and to ensure that no complications occur during recovery.

Here’s what you need to do:

  • You must alter your diet for about three days after the procedure. Avoid nuts, popcorns, and hot and spicy foods since they irritate gums.
  • Avoid smoking or using tobacco products for no less than six hours after the procedure since it contains chemicals that can irritate the gums
  • Ensure that your teeth are clean and plaque-free with thorough flossing and brushing, following the recommended oral hygiene guidelines

How Long Does It Take to Heal?

As mentioned earlier, you will experience various symptoms following the procedure. If you can properly manage the symptoms, your gums should heal within four to six weeks.

Contact us at So Good Dental if you need more clarification or have an oral health issue; we would love to help you.