When you have periodontal disease, your dentist might recommend scaling and root planing.
Here’s why this treatment is essential to your oral and overall health.
Is a Regular Dental Cleaning Enough?
No, if you have gum disease, a regular dental cleaning isn’t enough to eliminate the infection and restore your oral health. Scaling and root planing is the best way to treat the infection. This procedure removes the bacteria, calculus, and toxins that have accumulated below the gumline and on the root surface. Without this root planing treatment, the infection will worsen, destroying the bone that anchors the teeth.
Scaling and root planing can be done painlessly, and the reward of having healthy gums is definitely worth it! Once your infection has been treated, your dentist or hygienist can do a better job cleaning your teeth. Periodic evaluations (every 3-4 months) will maintain healthy gums.
Understanding the Oral-Systemic Connection
Your mouth is a gateway to the rest of your body, so when you have gum disease, you’re risking more than your smile. Bacteria from your mouth can lead to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, stroke, Alzheimer’s, pregnancy complications, and more. This makes scaling and root planing a medical necessity, not just a dental suggestion.
Need a Dentist in Wilmington, DE?
If you have gum disease in Wilmington, our caring dental team can help! Please call Justison and Gladnick Family Dentistry to see if your symptoms are gum disease; we can customize a treatment plan to get your oral health back on track.
You can reach us at (302) 994-2660.