Consistent dental hygiene is a necessary cornerstone of maintaining your oral health. However, it often isn’t enough to maintain lasting healthy teeth. Consistent visits to the Wyngate Dental of Bethesda team twice yearly are essential to oral healthcare. With the help of our team of professionals, you’ll be able to stay on top of concerns like gingivitis, tooth decay, and periodontal disease. Scaling and root planing are procedures we use to ensure the health of your teeth and gums, especially when periodontal disease has reared its ugly head.

How Scaling And Root Planing Protect Your Smile

Almost everyone develops gingivitis at some point in their lives. Thankfully, this condition is relatively easy to treat and rarely gets serious. When left untreated, however, it can develop into much more severe periodontal disease. The first signs of gum disease are sensitive, inflamed, and red gums. They’ll often bleed when you brush them. If you’re seeing symptoms like these, scheduling a visit to our office promptly is important. Dr. Taylor Cole will inspect your oral cavity and determine the severity of your gum disease. Following this examination, they will suggest a treatment plan to address the identified concern.

If scaling and root planing are called for, they’ll schedule the appointment and let you know how to prepare for your appointment. These treatments may be repeated once every two weeks until the periodontal disease is under control. The steps involved in scaling and root planing are:

• Preparation: The first step of deep cleaning is administering an anesthetic to the gums to help ease any discomfort during the procedure. Dr. Cole will use ultrasonic scalers that will reach beneath the gum line and remove stubborn plaque and tartar. 

• Tooth Scaling: Scaling is a process by which hardened plaque, known as tartar, is removed from the teeth. The ultrasonic scaler will be combined with a water pic to flush the tartar from the gingival pockets. Dr. Cole will use a manual scaling tool to remove particularly stubborn deposits.

• Root Planing: This process cleans the dental root and smooths the surface to discourage plaque from adhering to it later. In addition, smoothing the surface of the dental root encourages the gingival tissue to re-adhere.

• Recovery And Follow-Ups: Following the completion of your treatment, Dr. Cole will schedule a follow-up appointment. In the interim, it will be important to maintain a steady dental hygiene routine to help the healing process. Follow-ups can occur as often as two weeks or spaced as far as three or even six months. The spacing of your follow-ups will be determined by how well you respond to the treatment.

See Us In Bethesda, MD, For Your Next Deep Cleaning

If you’ve been experiencing concerns with your gum health, it’s time to see Dr. Taylor Cole and the Wyngate Dental of Bethesda team. You can start by calling our office at 301-530-8008 to schedule an appointment. You’re also welcome to stop by 5648 Shields Drive, Bethesda, MD, to meet the team and tour the office before scheduling your first visit.