What Is Periodontal Scaling? – Kimberly A. Rosen , DDS

Dental scaling is essentially a professional deep-clean of the teeth and gums performed by a dentist, periodontist or a dental hygienist. It’s typically used for people who have periodontal disease, also known as gum disease, as a type of non-surgical periodontal therapy.
Gum disease is caused by excessive plaque build-up on the teeth and gums. The bacteria in the plaque can cause the gums to pull away from the teeth, forming pockets. These pockets can collect even more bacteria, continuing the cycle.
Dental scaling removes plaque and bacteria with a technique and tools that are much more effective than a toothbrush or floss. The procedure is two-fold, involving scaling and root planing. Scaling is a deep-cleaning procedure that removes plaque from the teeth and gumline. A Hygienist or periodontist can use a handheld instrument or an ultrasonic instrument to maneuver in between the teeth and gumline.
Root planing typically follows the scaling procedure and gets deeper into the tooth’s root, cleaning the root and smoothing the root’s surface, which allows the gums to better adhere to the root and close any pockets caused by plaque build-up.
In addition to scaling and planing, your dentist or hygienist may also administer antibiotic medication—a procedure known as host modulation—in your gums to help strengthen them against gum disease and reduce chances of infection.
If you have gum disease, and your dentist or hygienist recommends dental scaling then yes, you should proceed with the procedure, but it’s still good to know exactly what you’re getting into.
It reduces the effects of gum disease and helps prevent gum disease from advancing.
It cleans the teeth much more thoroughly than any at-home treatment can.
It will protect the roots of your teeth from harmful plaque and bacteria.
It is an out-patient procedure and though it may require more than one appointment, it is a relatively simple procedure.
It will help get rid of bad breath associated with gum disease.
It will give you peace of mind that your gum disease is under control.
The benefits of the procedure depend on the patient’s diligence with an at-home hygiene routine.You will have a follow-up appointment after your teeth scaling and root planing to make sure your pockets have reduced in size.
For any questions or concerns, please feel free to call the office of Dr. Kim Rosen @ (661)255-2545.