Avoid eating spicy foods for several days
Take an over-the-counter analgesic such as Advil or Aleve® before your local anesthesia wears off. Later, you can take the same medication if you have any tenderness of the gums. If you must avoid these analgesics because you are already taking NSAID's, are allergic to them or you have ulcers, then you may take acetaminophen (Tylenol®). Please follow dosage recommendations on the product labels.
You may rinse with warm salt water as often as you wish. Stir no more than ¼ teaspoonful of table salt into a cup of warm water to use as your rinse solution. This will help sooth any gum tissues that may be tender after the root planing procedure.
It is important to maintain good plaque control to promote optimal healing after scaling and root planing. Therefore, please perform all home care procedures as prescribed by your dentist or hygienist.
You may experience some discomfort when you drink cold liquids or eat cold foods. This sensitivity is the most common complaint after root planing and is due to removal of tartar and a minute amount of tooth root surface. Any sensitivity should gradually go away in a few weeks; however, in some cases, the sensitivity can take longer to go away. In rare cases, some permanent sensitivity results. Try to avoid really cold liquids and foods for a few days or more after scaling and root planing is performed. If needed, you can use desensitizing toothpastes, such as Crest for Sensitive Teeth® or Sensodyne® to help reduce the sensitivity.
