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Complimentary Oral Treatments After Root Planing

19 September 2017 by Joann Dunn

If you have gum disease, then you may understand that an advanced treatment like a root scaling or planing may be needed to help combat the issue. If so, then you may also need some additional or added treatments once the planing is completed. These complimentary treatments can greatly enhance your oral health, so keep reading to learn about a few things that may be suggested.

Medication

There are several types of medication that may be provided once the root planing is completed. These medicines are meant to reduce the bacteria in the mouth that cause cavities, gingivitis, gum disease, and gum recession. While rinses are common, your dentist may decide that the gum pockets around your mouth need to the treated directly.

Gum pockets are the loose tissues that pull away from the sides of the teeth and open into wide gaps. Since bacteria gather in these pockets, your dentist will want the tissues to shrink back around the teeth. A medicine called chlorhexidine is used in the form of gelatin chips within the pockets to control bacteria activity. In this case, the medicine is in the form of a gelatin-filled chip. One chip is placed in each periodontal pocket and the gelatin slowly releases medicine to kill bacteria. 

Oral antibiotics can also be used, but the localized treatment is often much more effective when gum pocket reduction is the goal. 

Gum Stimulation

Once the gum pockets have been cleaned out, new and healthy gums will need to grow back and develop around the teeth to protect them properly from damage. In many cases, the tissue production will need to be stimulated. Stimulation can occur in several ways, and you will need to complete some activities at home. However, your dentist may massage the gums after the planing treatment. Physical massage as well as massage with probed and other tools can offer assistance. Professional cleanings with the assistance of ultrasonic tools can also be used to encourage healthy gum tissue production.

Your dentist may also show you how to stimulate the gums at home. Using a soft bristled toothbrush to gentle brush along the gum tissues and to apply non-harmful pressure is one way to do this. Using water-flossers that release direct streams of water against and underneath the tissues can help as well. 

Your dental professional can also show you how to use your fingers to gently massage the gums in a circular motion as well. You should know that stimulation primarily encourage good blood flow to the tissues, so do not be surprised if you notice a bit of bleeding, especially when the gums are just starting to heal. For more information, contact companies like Fuller Periodontics & Implant Dentistry.

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