Taking care of your smile can require you to undergo an assortment of treatments and procedures over the course of your life. For those that are unfortunate enough to suffer from severe gum disease, it may be necessary to undergo a procedure known as scaling. If you are not familiar with this procedure, learning the following answers to a few common questions can help you to be better prepared for this dental procedure.

Why Would You Need To Have Dental Scaling Done?

Gum disease is caused by a buildup of bacteria around the gums. This bacteria can infect the soft gum disease, which can cause it to become diseased. Unfortunately, some patients may have this bacteria get beneath the gumline. When this occurs, it will be necessary for the dentist to pull the gums back so that the bacteria can be removed. Once the bacteria is removed, the gums will be able to start to heal.

Will Dental Scaling Be A Painful Treatment?

Not surprisingly, dental scaling can be an intimidating procedure for some patients. Unfortunately, these patients may be more likely to delay having this treatment done as they may be concerned about the pain that will be involved with dental scaling. Luckily, this is not a particularly painful procedure to have done as you will be given a local anesthetic to numb the gums. Additionally, your dentist may be able to prescribe pain medication to help with any discomfort that you may experience after the anesthetic has worn off.

How Long Will It Take For Results To Be Seen?

Dental scaling can be a major procedure for you to have done to your mouth, but it is important to note that results may not be immediate. In many instances, you will need to undergo several sessions of scaling in order to see benefits from this procedure. Additionally, it can take the gums several weeks to heal from the gum disease. As a result, you should not expect your gums to immediately be cured after this procedure.

Dental scaling can be a highly effective way of treating serious cases of gum disease. However, it can be difficult for patients to fully evaluate this treatment option if they are poorly informed about it. By understanding what occurs during dental scaling, that you will be anesthetized to reduce discomfort and that it may take several weeks for your gums to fully heal, you will be better prepared to undergo this type of treatment. For more information, contact a business such as Family & Cosmetic Dentistry.