Periodontal Disease Treatment – St Johns, FL
Protect Yourself from Gingivitis and Periodontitis
Gum disease generally doesn’t get as much attention as tooth decay when discussing oral health, but it’s still a condition to be taken extremely seriously. While early gingivitis might seem relatively benign, full-blown periodontitis poses a direct threat to the health of your jawbone, and it can lead to tooth loss as well as a host of serious health problems. You can reach out to Dr. Cohen today to schedule a consultation to see if you might need periodontal disease treatment in St. Johns, FL.
Why Choose Julington Creek Family Dentistry for Periodontal Disease Treatment?
- State-of-the-Art Diode Laser Therapy
-
A Gentle Dentist
Who Takes
His Time - Thorough, Experienced Dental Hygienists
Scaling & Root Planing
Scaling and root planing are sometimes collectively referred to as deep cleaning. Unlike regular cleaning, deep cleaning largely focuses on removing plaque, tartar, and bacteria from the periodontal pockets around your teeth. Scaling is the process of getting rid of these harmful substances while root planing is smoothing the surfaces of the tooth roots so that bacteria don’t build up on them as easily in the future. The goal is to treat the current infection while also lowering the risk of a new one occurring.
Do I Need Scaling & Root Planing?
This deep cleaning procedure is typically reserved for patients who are showing early indications of periodontal disease, such as swelling, inflammation, and bleeding in and around the gum tissue. If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, our team will want to evaluate your situation so that we can detect the underlying cause.
Should we find that your gums are compromised, we’ll want to provide treatment right away with scaling and root planing to stop the progress altogether and avoid lasting damage to your smile. Not only will this treatment remove all debris, plaque, and tartar from beneath the gum line, but it’ll also promote improved healing so that your gums can reattach to your teeth more efficiently.
The Process of Scaling & Root Planing
Scaling and root planing usually occur through two steps—which means you’ll expect to undergo the process over two appointments. Firstly, scaling consists of scraping off tartar and plaque that have accumulated under or along the gum line. Our team will use special ultrasonic dental tools to perform this, effectively targeting the areas in the gum pockets where bacteria deposits have developed.
We’ll send you home to recover before asking you to return for the root planing process. This portion involves smoothing the surface of the teeth hiding beneath the gum line, allowing your gum tissue to stick to your teeth much easier and safer, as it’ll become more difficult for bacteria to accumulate again. This will also significantly lower your risk of forming gum disease later on.
Aftercare Tips for Scaling & Root Planing
It’s normal to experience some soreness and sensitivity after your scaling and root planing treatment. This is because your gums might be mildly inflamed. Fortunately, this should be short-lived and can recover after several weeks. Several tips to make your healing period smoother include:
- Rinsing your mouth with warm salt water to wash out debris and avoid irritation.
- Brushing carefully with a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoridated toothpaste.
- Flossing thoroughly once a day or after meals.
- Eating softer foods for the first 48 hours following your treatment.
- Avoiding hot, spicy, or acidic meals.
- Refraining from intense physical exercise/activity immediately after your visit.