WHAT IS SCALING AND ROOT PLANING?
Scaling and root planing helps get rid of gum disease as well as removing calculus that is below the gum line. Gum disease needs to be taken seriously. Your dentist or dental hygienist should help you be aware of the current health of your gums. Gum diseases has many side effects including bone loss, loss of teeth, bleeding gums, discomfort and more.
DO I NEED SCALING AND ROOT PLANING?
Your dental hygienist or dentist can tell you if you need scaling and root planing. During your dental exam they will perform periodontal probing. This is measuring the depth of the bone in several different areas. When the probe number is higher than it should they know that the gums are either very swollen, or that bone has been lost. Both of these things are caused by a gum infection or gum disease.
SHOULD I HAVE SCALING AND ROOT PLANING DONE IF I HAVE GUM DISEASE?
The answer is yes. Gum disease is a serious disease and can cause a lot of long term problems if not addressed. If your dental hygienist or dentist tells you that you have it, you should get it taken care of as quickly as possible. The typical process of getting rid of gum disease is by having scaling and root planing done and then following up with periodontal maintenance. Once the gum disease is cleared out, good home dental habits can keep your gums and teeth healthy.
