Root planing/scaling tomorrow at Dentist. Help?

[MandySlade]

Tomorrow is the second of many visits to my Dentist to come over the next few months. I posted about it before, but I finally went after not having gone for 13 years.

I'm supposed to have the following done (broken up into visits every 2-3 weeks) in this order:

Root planning/scaling
Removal of very old Mercury fillings (terrified of this)
New fillings
Wisdom tooth extraction

Tomorrow is the root planning/scaling (also known as the "deep cleaning") I'm really scared it's going to hurt or that it will cause more damage somehow. Worried something will "go wrong". I keep forcing myself not to google, because I feel like if I do it will be because I'm seeking out some worst-case so that I can talk myself out of it.

Anyone here had this done before? This is what one website said:

"Scaling is the removal of calculus (commonly called tartar) and plaque that attach to the tooth surfaces. The process especially targets the area below the gum line, along the root. Plaque is more likely to stick to rough surfaces. For this reason, the root surface is smoothed down in a process called root planing. Root planing removes any remaining calculus and smoothes irregular areas of the root surface."

That sounds soooooo scary and painful to me. :(

It also says this regarding risks:

"Root planing and scaling can introduce harmful bacteria into the bloodstream. Gum tissue is also at risk of infection. You may need to take antibiotics before and after surgery if you have a condition that puts you at high risk for developing a severe infection"

So, being that I have a severe phobia of sepsis and all sorts of blood-poisoning worries... reading that doesn't help my fears. :( It also said causes the gums to receede and can expose the root, causing chronic pain... wtf? That sounds WORSE. *sigh*

[mummy4]

oh hun i can really sympathise with you. im sorry i have no advise but just to let you know i have to have a tooth out on wednesday and am terrified and have been putting this off for 6 months now my uhby has even booked the day off work to come with me but i am dreading it. am worried of not being in control and passing out :(
do let us know how you get on tomorrow will be thinking of you x

[MandySlade]

Thanx for the support. :)

I was hoping to hear from someone who's had it done and survived, lol.

*sigh* I'm such a wuss. I'm so scared. :(

[MandySlade]

uhgg.. I leave for my appointment in an hour and 1.2

I had -nightmares- about this and didn't sleep well. :(

[MandySlade]

Back from the root planing/scaling aka "deep cleaning". I'll be 100% honest about my experience for those of you who might have to do this in the future (and you WILL if you haven't been in a long time):

The entire visit took about an hour.. from the minute I walked in the door to the minute I walked out. The actual cleaning took about 45 minutes. She said I could have either novocaine or a topical gel put under my gum line. The gel is slightly less effective, but also less expensive. I decided to be tough and opted for the gel (I don't have insurance -hooray USA- so cost is an issue).

Putting the gel under my gums hardly felt like anything, maybe a slight "pinch" here and there from where my gums were already inflamed. After the gel was in place she started on the planing and scaling.. this basically involves scraping away tarter below the gum line and then filing the root a bit to make it smooth so that tarter doesn't stick to it easily anymore. They don't actually go INTO the root like in a root canal, they just "buff" the surface so to speak. This part -was- the most painful of the process, but in all honesty it wasn't bad at all. Just some slight pinching here and there. It's nothing compared to say, getting a tattoo (which I have two of). Imagine you accidently get a peice of popcorn or chip stuck under your gum (I know we've all done it) it's sort of like that, only repeatedly. So, uncomfortable and annoying... yes. Painful? only very slightly, if at all and intermitant.

After the scaling and root planing she flossed my teeth and polished them, this is pretty much like a normal cleaning. It was uncomfortable in the places where she did the planing/scaling, but still totally tolerable.

Truthfully, the worst thing about the entire experience was the sounds. The scraping and polishing sounds really loud to you because it's in your mouth. She was telling me that during it because she could tell I was tense. The other most worrisome thing, for me anyway, is that you -do- bleed some. It's normal with any deep cleaning because they are going under the gums.

So, how am I doing now? It's been an hour since I left the office. My teeth look shiny and whiter. My gums look fine and I've had almost no bleeding since I spit right before I left. My mouth feels a little dry and gritty, but that's normal. I got home and drank a cold glass of water, the cold made me sensitive in a couple spots, but nothing really bad.

I feel kind of out-of-it, but I'm chalking that up to a bad nights sleep, PMS, and the fact that I just spent an hour tensing every muscle in my body, lol. I can feel a little bit of soreness in my bottom gums right now, and slightly when I bite down in the back, and that's about it. *knocks on wood*. She said I should be able to eat normally but I should avoid any irritating "rough" foods for a day or so, like chips.

So, there you have it. I'll post about my future visits as well (of which I have a lot of... uhhg). I was terrified before this one and I wish I had someone's past experience to read.

[Franchesca]

Thank You Mandy. I know this is a old post, but reading helped. I have had many teeth and gums problems throughout the years, I had six teeth extracted a at home dentist, because of agoraphobia, probably very stupid of me. I can't wear my partial yet because of built up calculus. I look so very bad.

I made it to the dentist two months ago extraction, somehow without falling or passing out, I walk on a because of chronic pain. Physical and emotionalLy sick!

What I fear Mandy, or Anyone else reading this post, is that I could get a terrible infection from this procedure!? When I had extractions, I was on antibiotics, but I do not think this time he will prescribe, then I read about bad bleeding!? I need this procedure but I don't want to die from it from blood or infection. Please help if you can, wish I never read that. I'm so very scared. Thank you.