After Deep Cleaning: Healing, Shrinkage and What Is Normal
After deep cleaning for gum disease: the first days, eating, sensitivity, gum shrinkage, new gaps, cleaning and re-evaluation. NHS trust leaflets say gums may shrink as swelling goes down and they become healthier; one calls it a good sign and also says you may notice irreversible black triangles between teeth. NHS guidance sets out which symptoms need a dentist or A&E.
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Clinically reviewed by Dr Ibraheem Ijaz, dentist · GDC 301711
Medical disclaimer: This page is for general information only. It does not replace an examination or treatment by a dentist.
Dr Ibraheem Ijaz, principal dentist at Deepcar Dental Care, reviewed this page. He is a General Dental Practitioner, GDC 301711.
What is normal in the first day or two after deep cleaning?
You might have numbness, some bleeding and sore gums after deep cleaning, a Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust leaflet explains:
- Numbness from the injection: this might last three to four hours; until it wears off, avoid hot food and drink, as you might burn yourself, and avoid talking or eating, as you might bite your lips, cheek or tongue.
- Bleeding: for a day or two, which should calm down on its own.
- Tender or sore gums after the procedure: avoid very hot and spicy food for a couple of days.
- Sore or bruised gums from the injections.
Show a dentist any of these that worries you.
Is sensitivity normal after deep cleaning?
Yes. Teeth can become sensitive after deep cleaning:
- Teeth sensitive to hot, cold or sweet things as your gums shrink: this often gets better after a few weeks, but you might need to use special sensitive toothpaste (Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust).
- Root sensitivity after scaling and root planing below the gums: approximately half of patients have it, and its intensity increases for a few weeks after therapy, then decreases, a 2002 systematic review concluded from scarce evidence (only two studies).
Mention sensitivity at your review or a future appointment, Bristol Dental School advises. Our guide to sensitivity after a hygiene appointment has more.
Why do gums shrink after deep cleaning?
Gums can shrink after deep cleaning as the swelling goes down and they become healthier, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust explains.
Inflamed gums are tender and swollen, Kent's NHS trust leaflet says; after the cleaning they heal and shrink, and if your gums recede more after treatment, it calls this a good sign.
Bristol Dental School adds that shrinking gums can expose the roots of the teeth, and that recession can cause sensitivity and a change in how the gums look.
Why can new gaps appear between teeth after deep cleaning?
New spaces can appear between the teeth as the gums shrink after deep cleaning, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust says.
As a result of gum treatment, Kent's NHS trust leaflet says, you may also notice increased susceptibility to root surface decay, temporary increases in tooth mobility, elongation of the teeth, and a black triangle appearance and shadowing between the teeth where the gum between them (the dental papilla) has shrunk. It says the black triangle is irreversible. Tell your dentist about any change that concerns you.
Gum disease must be treated before any procedure to replace or mask receded gums, the British Society of Periodontology and Implant Dentistry says. Our page on black triangles between teeth explains closing them with composite.
Questions about this treatment? Book online or call the practice.
How should you clean your teeth while your gums heal?
Keep brushing and cleaning between your teeth regularly: Bristol Dental School's leaflet says root surface debridement will not work without it.
If you have not been cleaning your teeth properly and your gums are inflamed, they may bleed when you do. Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust says this is normal, caused by the inflammation rather than damage from cleaning, and will reduce over time if you persist. Show a dentist any bleeding that worries you.
Our guide to cleaning between your teeth covers interdental brushes and floss.
What is the re-evaluation appointment after deep cleaning for?
A re-evaluation, or follow-up, appointment shows how effective deep cleaning has been, Bristol Dental School's patient leaflet explains.
You will need to attend it after finishing treatment, the leaflet says, and it shows whether another course is necessary. Successful treatment will reduce bleeding and the depth of pockets but is not generally able to reverse bone loss, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust says, and sometimes gum disease does not respond to the initial treatment, and further rounds of treatment are required. How UK guidance judges the result is explained on our page about deep cleaning treatment, the therapeutic cleaning below the gum line rather than a routine clean.
When should you contact a dentist after deep cleaning?
For each symptom below, NHS guidance gives the action. If you do not have a dentist or cannot get an emergency appointment, call 111 or visit 111 online.
- Gums that bleed when you brush your teeth or eat hard foods, gums that are painful and swollen, bad breath, or a child with sore, bleeding gums: see a dentist.
- Gum disease, in you or your child, with other symptoms such as very sore and swollen gums, teeth becoming loose or falling out, ulcers or red patches in your mouth, or a lump in your mouth or on your lip: ask for an urgent dentist appointment.
- Toothache that lasts more than 2 days, does not go away when you take painkillers, or comes with a high temperature, pain when you bite, red gums, a bad taste or a swollen cheek or jaw: see a dentist. Do not go to your GP, as they will not be able to give you dental treatment.
- Toothache with swelling around your eye or neck, or swelling in your mouth or neck that makes it difficult to breathe, swallow or speak: go to A&E. Do not drive to A&E: ask someone to drive you or call 999 and ask for an ambulance. Bring any medicines you take with you.
How much does deep cleaning cost?
Deep cleaning (non-surgical periodontal therapy), root surface debridement and the re-check after deep cleaning have no line on the fee list.
Frequently asked questions
What should healthy gums look like as they heal?
Healthy gums are firmly attached to the teeth and should not bleed on cleaning, the British Society of Periodontology and Implant Dentistry says. Depending on ethnicity, they range from soft pink to black. After you start a new gum-care routine, the society adds, gums may turn a lighter pink as they heal.
Is root surface debridement done under local anaesthetic at Deepcar Dental Care?
Yes. At Deepcar Dental Care, root surface debridement is carried out under local anaesthetic, and topical numbing gel is applied before every injection. If injections worry you, our page on care for anxious patients explains how the practice supports nervous patients.
When is the re-check after deep cleaning at Deepcar Dental Care?
At Deepcar Dental Care, deep cleaning (non-surgical periodontal therapy) is a course of 2 to 4 visits, with a re-check 4 to 6 weeks after. To ask about the timing of a re-check, call the practice on 0114 288 2121.
How often is the recall after treated gum disease at Deepcar Dental Care?
At Deepcar Dental Care, the recall interval after treated gum disease is 3 to 6 months. With healthy gums, the recall interval is 6 months, the standard interval for a healthy adult. To ask about yours, call the practice on 0114 288 2121.
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Deepcar Dental Care is at 334 Manchester Road, Deepcar, Sheffield, S36 2RH, with free parking directly outside. More recovery guides are among the options in this section.
334 Manchester Road
Deepcar, Sheffield S36 2RH
0114 288 2121
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