Curettage is a dental treatment that is applied to patients who have advanced periodontal disease in which plaque buildup and tartar is important, thus compromising the health of the tooth and gums. To avoid the loss of dental pieces, proceed to perform a scraping and deep cleaning, to eliminate all bacteria located in the periodontal pocket to prevent damage progress.
This treatment, which is usually performed in several sessions and usually under local anesthesia, requires maintaining good dental hygiene, but always considering certain specifications. If you ask yourself how to brush your teeth after a curettage read on, because on aComo.com we explain it to you.
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Proper brushing after curettage
After curettage, the gums will be extremely sensitive, they will initiate a cicatrization process that will take several days and, due to the treatment itself, may be more vulnerable to infections, reason why the dental cleaning to consciousness is fundamental.
After curettage, you should brush your teeth after every meal and without exception, it is important to have some allies:
- Ultra-soft bristle brush, avoid the use of hard or electric brushes as the gums are very sensitive and the treated quadrant could bleed a lot in the face of a violent brushing.
- Physiological serum or an antiseptic mouthwash.
- Preferably use a chlorhexidine-based toothpaste, which because of its antiseptic power will help control the formation of bacteria in the area.
During the first 4 days after the curettage, it is important that you brush your teeth very gently, in a circular motion but in a deep way, a task that will surely take more time than usual. Once finished brushing, rinse your mouth with saline or an antiseptic mouthwash, this will help minimize the presence of bacteria in the area.
After 4 days, it will be possible to brush your teeth with a harder brush, however if you still feel that the gums are very sensitive then keep using the soft bristled product. Chlorhexidine mouthwash and toothpaste should not be used for more than two weeks unless your dentist recommends it. Keep in mind that the bleeding during the brushing of the treated quadrant is completely normal, with the passage of days it will gradually decrease.
The importance of dental hygiene after this treatment
Curettage is intended to eliminate the large number of bacteria that accumulate in the periodontal sac and not only inflame the gingiva and cause pain and discomfort, but can also lead to loss of teeth. However, this treatment will be completely useless if at the end the patient is not aware of the importance of dental hygiene, optimizing the cleaning of the mouth in order to properly remove dental plaque.
That is why it is important that after curettage, be aware that you must:
- Wash your teeth after every meal using preferably electric brushes, which ensure a more thorough and effective cleaning.
- Flossing is essential to eliminate food and plaque that builds up between the tooth and gums, this product will help prevent gingivitis and more advanced periodontal diseases.
- The use of interdental brushes, that allow to remove the food residues that accumulate between the teeth and that of not being well eliminated can translate into accumulated bacteria and dental plaque.
Washing your teeth with awareness, making sure you properly clean each area along with the gum is key to prevent a new bacterial buildup that endangers the health of dental. In addition, you cannot leave aside the visits to the dentist, because the professional cleanings at least once a year are keys to eliminate the plaque deeper and guarantee your oral health.
Other aspects to consider after a curettage
- Carry a soft diet that facilitates chewing, so you will feel less discomfort. Hard, crunchy, acidic or spicy foods should be avoided.
- After this treatment, your gum will retract and it will become deflated, this retraction will produce that your teeth are much more sensitive to the cold, the heat and the brushing. For this reason, many specialists recommend that you begin to use a toothpaste for sensitive teeth, which will help you reduce the discomfort effectively.
- The process of disinclination of the gums after the cleaning done in the curettage will begin to notice a greater space between the teeth. This is perfectly normal, however keep in mind that it can cause the food to remain between the teeth, so the use of an interdental brush and thread is essential.
- The bleeding when brushing after the first days of curettage is normal, after a few days will gradually decrease.
- It is completely forbidden to smoke after curettage and until the gum heals.
Consult your dentist if:
- After 2 or 3 days, if the pain is very intense please consult with your dentist
- There is excessive bleeding or major discomfort.
- If after several weeks of curettage, you have a great dental sensitivity, it may be necessary to use a toothpaste for sensitive teeth.
About Author:
I’m Shahid Maqbool founder and CEO at tapedaily. Content creation is my passion; I always work hard to provide high-quality material and 100% satisfaction to our readers.
