Scaling & Root Planing Aftercare
How to help your gums heal after a deep cleaning. Gentle, steady home care over the next few weeks makes the biggest difference.
Questions about your recovery? Call the office where you were treated.
The Most Important Things to Do
- Keep brushing and cleaning between your teeth, gently. Healthy gums need the plaque removed every day, even while they are sore.
- Rinse with warm salt water a few times a day for the first few days to soothe the gums.
- Wait until the numbness wears off before eating or drinking anything hot.
- Avoid smoking and vaping. Smoking slows gum healing.
- Use any prescribed rinse or medicine exactly as directed.
When to Call Us
- Pain or swelling that gets worse after a few days instead of better.
- A fever, pus, or a bad taste that does not go away.
- Bleeding that does not stop with gentle pressure.
- Sensitivity that gets worse, or makes it hard to eat or keep your teeth clean.
What Is Normal Today
- Numbness for a few hours if the area was numbed.
- Sore, tender gums for a few days.
- Some bleeding when you brush for the first day or two.
- Sensitivity to cold, which can last a few weeks as the gums settle.
- As swelling goes down, gums may tighten and sit a little lower, so teeth can look slightly longer or show small spaces. This is part of healing.
Eating & Drinking
- For the first day or two, choose softer foods and avoid very hard, crunchy, spicy or very hot foods.
- Avoid small seeds and chips that can lodge under tender gums.
Cleaning & Activity
- Brush twice a day with a soft toothbrush, gently at the gumline.
- Clean between your teeth once a day with floss or the small brushes you were shown.
- Rinse with warm salt water (about half a teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water) after meals for the first few days.
- If a medicine was placed under your gums, follow the specific instructions you were given about brushing and flossing that area.
- A toothpaste for sensitive teeth can help with cold sensitivity.
Medication
- Mild soreness usually responds to an over-the-counter pain reliever. Take it as directed at your visit or on the label.
- If you were prescribed an antibiotic or a medicated rinse, use it exactly as directed until it is finished.
Follow-Up Visits
- Keep your re-evaluation visit so we can measure how your gums have responded.
- After treatment, regular gum maintenance cleanings help keep gum disease under control.
Last revised
Questions about your recovery? Call the office where you were treated.