Scaling and root planing is the initial treatment for a chronic illness called periodontitis.  What is periodontitis?  This is an inflammation of the supporting structures of teeth (gums, bone, and ligament) caused by bacteria.  Some signs of periodontitis are bleeding gums, bad breath, loose teeth, or suddenly changing bite.  The bacteria causing this disease process lives on the tartar underneath your gum tissue.  The tartar needs to be removed in order to get rid of the bacteria, and scaling and root planing removes this tartar.Typically, scaling and root planing of the whole mouth can be performed in one session, using a special kind of local anesthetic that is applied to the gum tissue itself without injections!  Your body heat turns the liquid anesthetic into a gel that will get areas of your mouth numb for 20 minutes at a time.  If you have periodontal disease, or know that you need scaling and root planing, please contact our office so that we can assist you.