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Scaling & Root Planing in Lexington, SC
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Bleeding gums or a puffy, tender feeling along your gumline are easy to brush off, especially when nothing hurts yet. But those small signs are often your body’s first warning that gum disease has taken hold, and catching it early can save you from bigger problems down the road. Left untreated, gum disease can progress from mild irritation to a condition that threatens the bone and tissue that hold your teeth in place.
At Lexington Family Smiles, we consider scaling and root planing one of the most effective ways to stop the progression before it advances further. This deep-cleaning procedure targets bacteria and buildup that a standard cleaning cannot reach, giving your gums a real chance to heal. Below, we walk through what this treatment addresses, how it works, and what you can expect during recovery.
What Scaling and Root Planing Treats
Scaling and root planing is designed for patients with moderate to severe gum disease, also called periodontitis. This condition develops when plaque and tartar spread below the gumline, causing the gum tissue to pull away from the teeth and form pockets where bacteria can multiply undisturbed.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly half of all adults aged 30 and older have some form of periodontitis, with severe cases affecting about 8% of adults. We often see patients whose gum disease has been developing quietly for years, since early symptoms like slight bleeding or mild swelling are easy to dismiss as normal.
If you notice bleeding gums when brushing, tenderness, or gum recession, we may recommend a periodontal evaluation to determine whether scaling and root planing could help.
How It Differs From a Standard Cleaning
A routine dental cleaning focuses on the visible surfaces of your teeth and the area just above the gumline. It is a preventive step meant to keep healthy gums healthy.
Scaling and root planing goes further. This procedure goes below the gumline to clean the root surfaces, remove bacteria, and smooth away rough spots where plaque tends to collect again. We only recommend this treatment after evaluating your gum health and identifying pockets deep enough to require it, which is why it is considered a treatment for existing disease rather than routine maintenance.
What the Procedure Involves
We typically complete scaling and root planing over two visits, treating one half of the mouth (or “quadrant” combination) at each appointment. Splitting the treatment this way allows us to focus closely on each area and keeps your comfort manageable throughout the process.
During each visit, we use local anesthetic to numb the gums and surrounding tissue, so you should not feel discomfort as we clean below the gumline. Once the area is numb, we carefully remove plaque and tartar from the tooth roots and smooth the root surfaces, which helps your gums reattach more easily as they heal.
In some cases, we may also recommend antibiotic therapy alongside the mechanical cleaning. This can help address bacteria that remain in deeper pockets after scaling and root planing, supporting the healing process from more than one direction. The specific antibiotic approach we use depends on your individual case, and our team will walk you through what that looks like for your treatment plan.
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Scaling and Root Planing Aftercare and Recovery
After each appointment, your gums may feel tender or slightly swollen for a day or two, similar to how they might feel after a particularly thorough cleaning. We recommend the following as your gums recover:
- Stick to soft foods for the first day or two and avoid anything too hot, cold, or spicy
- Rinse gently with warm salt water if we recommend it, rather than brushing aggressively near treated areas
- Keep up with any prescribed antibiotic or rinse exactly as directed
- Avoid smoking or tobacco use, which can slow healing
Most patients feel back to normal within a few days, though full gum healing can take several weeks as the tissue reattaches to the tooth surface.
How to Know Your Scaling and Root Planing Was Successful
Success after scaling and root planing usually shows up gradually. You may notice less bleeding when you brush as well as pinker, firmer gums rather than swollen ones, and reduced pocket depths at your follow-up visit. Bad breath related to bacterial buildup often improves as well.
We will schedule a follow-up appointment to measure your progress and confirm whether the treated areas have responded well. In most cases, this is paired with ongoing periodontal maintenance visits, which are spaced more frequently than standard cleanings to prevent new bacteria from taking hold.
Schedule Your Scaling and Root Planing Visit at Lexington Family Smiles
Gum disease does not have to threaten your smile if it is caught and treated early. Our team combines careful, thorough treatment with a comfortable, judgment-free approach, so you always know what to expect and why each step matters. We also make it easier to move forward with care through flexible financing, including CareCredit, Cherry, Sunbit, and our own Dental Savings Plan for patients without dental insurance.
Contact our office today to schedule your appointment and experience comprehensive, compassionate general and preventive dentistry right here in Lexington, SC.
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- 2001 Augusta Highway, Suite A, Lexington, SC 29072
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