Everything You Need To Know About Dental Scaling
You may have been asked to get dental scaling done during a regular checkup at the dentists’ office. As scary as the name sounds, scaling is a routine procedure that helps remove excess plaque buildup.
What Is Scaling?
Scaling is similar to standard tooth cleaning. But while a standard cleaning only gets rid of debris on the tooth’s surface, scaling attempts to remove the extra buildup of plaque underneath the gum line.
Your dentist will use a specialized dental tool to chip off the buildup from your teeth and gums for a scaling procedure.
Who Needs Scaling?
According to the CDC, around 64.7 million Americans suffer from periodontal or gum disease. Scaling is performed for patients suffering from gum diseases, as regular cleaning sessions may prove ineffective in some advanced periodontal disease cases.
Why Is Scaling Needed?
Plaque is a mixture of your saliva and bacteria and proteins present in your mouth that come together to form a thin film over your teeth. This film traps tiny food particles, sugars, and acids and creates buildup.
Usually, this film of plaque is removed through regular brushing and flossing, but failing to do so can cause the bacteria to become active and rot out teeth and gums.
Once the gum disease starts, your gum tissue will start to recede from your teeth. This creates holes between your gums and teeth, which become filled with bacteria and plaque. Dental scaling helps remove this plaque that is living beneath the gum line and helps treat the gum disease.
Scaling Procedure:
The scaling procedure attempts to remove plaque from the tooth’s surface beneath the gum line. This can either be done using handheld tools like a dental scaler and curette to scrape the plaque away, or your dentist may use an ultrasonic instrument to perform scaling.
The ultrasonic tool has a vibrating metal tip that sprays water. The tip chips away at the buildup, and the water spray simultaneously flushes the gum pockets clean.
The scaling procedure can be done in one visit if the plaque buildup is minimal, but for serious conditions, it may take several visits, so your dentist can clean the different portions of your mouth.
It may help to schedule a visit with your dental clinic to understand how the procedure will be performed for starters. If you are nervous about sensitive gums, WaterFront Family Dentistry provides expert dental services in Frisco, TX, for the whole family. With over 17 years of experience, they will become your go-to dentist in Frisco. Call them at 972-987-4343 or contact them here to book your appointment today.
