If you have acute periodontal gum disease, you might not be able to heal just by following your daily regimen of brushing, flossing, and using mouthwash, even when that is combined with a professional cleaning twice a year. You might need a more thorough deep cleaning, and the dentist can give you just that. It is called scaling and root planing.
During scaling and root planing, the dentist will start by using an anesthetic to make the procedure more comfortable. Next, an ultrasonic cleaner called a scaler is used under the gum line and cleans out any plaque or tartar that are there. The dentist will then plane the surface of your tooth’s root to make it smooth again. It should be possible, after scaling and root planing, for the gum tissue to heal again and to reattach itself to the roots of your teeth.
