Listen to Your Dentist When They Recommend Wisdom Teeth Extraction

Some people have teeth that are more sensitive than yours might be. Clearly, having sensitive teeth is a real concern for a great number of people, and this is obvious due to the number of sensitive toothpastes and mouthwashes that are available. But this can still be a problem that you're blissfully unfamiliar with, until the day that all changes. Why are your teeth so sensitive after your last dental checkup?

Dental Cleaning

Professional dental cleaning is a standard feature of your regular checkups, even though it might not be necessary each and every time you find yourself reclining in your dentist's chair. While your own toothbrush and general oral hygiene practices are invaluable in maintaining the health of your teeth, you will need extra assistance every few months. Plaque that remains on teeth can calcify, becoming tartar, and no matter how hard you brush, that tartar isn't going anywhere until your dentist removes it.

The Problem With Tartar

Tartar is problematic for a number of reasons. It can take on a distinctive brown shade, easily augmented by smoking, coffee, red wine, or anything that tends to discolor teeth. Its rough outer edge also promotes the formation of additional plaque, and its location, not to mention its high concentration of bacteria, at the gingival margin can aggravate your gums, leading to gingivitis and other forms of periodontal disease. It might be obvious that tartar must be removed, but why has its removal made your teeth feel so sensitive?

Scaling

Professional dental cleaning can utilize different methods, and scaling is likely to be involved. Scaling can be performed with a manual tool or an ultrasonic scaler, but your dentist must literally scale the tartar off your teeth. It's not traumatic for teeth, but it's still possible to feel its after-effects. 

Sensitivity 

Some sensitivity after dental scaling shouldn't come as a surprise. Remember that scaling sometimes must remove subgingival tartar, located beneath your gum line, which can be mildly invasive. Additionally, you may have already been experiencing some discomfort due to the inflammation of your gums that compelled your dentist to perform such a deep cleaning. The cleaning itself can further irritate your gum inflammation.

A Temporary Concern

Any discomfort and sensitivity should only be fleeting. Your tissues will begin to heal the moment your dentist has completed your deep cleaning, meaning any adverse reaction should quickly subside. If your teeth and gums remain sensitive, contact your dentist. There may be a secondary cause for your sensitivity, or the inflammation of your gums may have been too strong to be overcome with scaling, meaning that additional treatment will be needed.

The better care you take of your oral health, the less likely it is that your dentist will need to scale your teeth at each appointment. That being said, scaling can be an essential component of maintaining your oral health, and any sensitivity triggered by the procedure shouldn't last especially long. For more information, contact a local dental cleaning service, such as Family Dentistry Of Woodstock.