You just had scaling and root planing therapy at Hutchinson Family Dental. This involves removing bacterial plaque and tartar from the root surface below the gum line. This reduces inflammation, infection and allows reattachment of the gums to the root surface. The depth of the periodontal pockets is reduced, allowing more efficient flossing and brushing.
Most patients experience little or no postoperative discomfort. The most frequent complaints are slight tenderness of the gums and teeth may be sensitive to cold drinks and foods. Please follow these guidelines for efficient healing and improvement of your dental health.
Post Operative Care
- Be careful while you are numb. Hot foods and drinks, such as soup, pizza, coffee and tea can seriously burn your mouth. It is easy to bite your tongue and lip while numb.
- Avoid foods that have an outer layer shell/husk/small seed for 48 hours following the procedure (i.e. popcorn, sunflower seeds, peanuts, nuts, strawberries, sesame seeds, etc.
- Seeping/weeping of the gums and/or tiny visible blood clots are normal in the first 24 hours.
- How to use Chlorhexidine mouth rinse
- Rinse for 30 seconds, 2 times daily, after brushing, for 2 weeks.
- Avoid eating and drinking for 30 minutes after use.
- Take an anti-inflammatory pain reliever. In most cases, ibuprofen (Advil) will be sufficient to control discomfort. We recommend 800 mg (4 tablets). Take this dosage with food every 8 hours until the pain subsides but not longer than three days. Do not take ibuprofen if you have an allergy or are pregnant.
- It is imperative that you floss and brush daily. Brushing and flossing daily helps to remove plaque and debris from between your teeth. This is crucial in fighting periodontal disease.
- Refrain from smoking 24-48 hours to promote healthy healing of gum tissues.
- Sensitive teeth are very common after treatment and usually resolves in 1-2 weeks.
Continuing Care
- Please schedule and keep a 3-week follow-up appointment. This appointment is about 30 minutes and allows the hygienist to see how your gum tissues are healing.
- We advise scheduling and attending regular dental maintenance appointments, every 3-4 months, regardless of the frequency in your dental insurance plan.
If you have any questions, please call our office at 620-663-9119.
If you would like to download a copy of these instructions please click here.
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