Teeth Scaling Pros and Cons – An Ayurvedic View

Teeth Scaling

Are you much concerned about your dental hygiene? Are you a person who does tooth scaling regularly? Have you done tooth scaling on your own? Then this article is for you. You should know about the ill effects of excess tooth scaling. Some people go for a regular check-up for their teeth and maintain the hygiene of the oral cavity by many procedures like deep cleaning, scaling, planning, root canal in case of decay, etc. Cleaning the teeth is necessary. But, everything in excess leads to something worse. In this article, we will learn more about the harmful effects of excessive scaling of teeth that every person should acknowledge.

What is Teeth Scaling

Scaling is the technical term used for cleaning the buildup of tartar, localized stain, or plaque on the teeth. The procedure is usually performed by a dentist by using specially designed instruments. If the procedure is not done properly, it may lead to serious side effects. It is the method to clean the buildup of unhygienic things below and above the gum line. The instruments that are used in the procedure are specially made to clean the area where the toothbrush cannot reach. Teeth scaling is the procedure that should be done by medical professionals and not in the home to avoid damage to the gums and teeth. If it is done at home, in excess even without any appropriate method it leads to various complications to the gums and teeth.

Teeth Scaling Pros and Cons

Though it is a cleaning procedure, it has both pros and cons. It is mentioned as follows.

Pros

The pros of the procedure that helps to protect the oral cavity are,

• Can prevent gum diseases or stop gum disease.
• Promotes healthy gums
• No bad breath
• Prevents loss of teeth
• Safeguards root of the teeth
• The hygiene of the teeth is maintained

Cons

Though there are so many pros there are also cons that are to be known before undergoing the procedure. They are,

• Causes gum recession
• Risk of any complications – infections
• Sensitivity of teeth increases
• Mild pain
• There will be nerve damage

When Teeth Scaling is Done

Teeth scaling is done when there are signs of chronic periodontal disease. This occurs when there is bacterial growth in between the teeth and the gums which can’t be reached with brushing. Therefore, tooth scaling is the method to clean the teeth in the area where toothbrushes can’t reach them.
If chronic periodontal disease is left untreated, it may lead to loss of bone, tissue, tooth, etc., there will also be loose teeth and moving teeth. Chronic periodontal disease is mainly due to poor hygiene, smoking, and poor nutrition. Symptoms include, bleeding gums, bad breath, gums will be inflamed, red or tender.

Benefits of Teeth Scaling

The benefits of teeth scaling are,

• This procedure reduces the pockets between teeth and gums so that there is no chronic periodontal disease.
• It helps to maintain oral hygiene
• It protects from bad breath

Risk of Excessive Scaling

Besides benefits, there are some risk factors or disadvantages of teeth scaling. They are as follows,

• Teeth become loose due to inadequate scaling and there is a chance of losing multiple teeth together.
• Many gum diseases and chronic periodontal disease are caused if the scaling is inappropriate.
• If the teeth scaling is done frequently then, there will be tenderness and swelling of the gums.
• Bleeding gums is also present in case of excessive scaling of teeth.
• Mild pain is present for a couple of days.
• There will be sensitivity in the teeth towards hot and cold things.
• Smoking should be strictly avoided after the procedure since it leads to complications.
• There will be postoperative infections if the procedure is not done properly.

These complications will clear up eventually, if not you should seek medical help.

Conditions That Needs Medical Help

• Worsening pain
• Fever
• If there is no healing process in the area where the procedure is done.

Ayurvedic View

In Ayurveda, the condition of accumulation of tartar, etc can be mentioned as Danta sarkar or Danta mala. Ayurveda helps in overcoming this condition with some of the remedial measures that can be followed at home.

General herbs include

1. Amalaki (Embilica Officinalis)

Amla is rich in vitamin C and helps in healing the infections of the mouth. It is an antioxidant drug and helps in cleaning the teeth. It also fights against bad breath. Amla can be taken regularly either as a whole fruit or as a powder mixed in a cup of water.

2. Haritaki  (Terminalia chebula)

Haritaki is an antibacterial drug that helps to prevent infections in the teeth. It prevents tooth decay. It is good to be taken regularly either alone or in the Triphala (Amalaki, Haritaki, Bibhitaki) combination.

3. Bibhitaki (Terminalia bellirica)

It acts as a curative measure in case of bacterial and viral infections in the teeth. It has anti-inflammatory properties. It has many therapeutic properties when taken in combination with Haritaki and Amalaki.

4. Saindhava lavana (Rock Salt)

Rock salt fights against bad breath. Rock salt is used as a mouth freshener and teeth whitener. It is either used alone or in combination with other drugs like pepper etc.

5. Jatiphala (Myristica fragrans)

Jatiphala promotes dental health. It is an antibacterial drug. It fights against bad breath. Jatiphala is used in toothpaste as a principal element.

6. Maricha (Piper nigrum)

Maricha helps to relieve tooth pain. It keeps gums healthy. Powdered Maricha (Pepper) is taken in combination with Saindhava (Rock salt).

7. Pippali (Piper longum)

Pippali is rubbed on the gums and teeth in powdered form, relieving toothache. It is either taken alone or in combination with other drugs.

8. Ardraka (Zingiber officinale)

Ardraka is an anti-inflammatory and antibacterial drug. It helps to maintain a healthy oral cavity.

Measures that is to be followed

There are so many home remedies and medicinal methods to be followed to prevent and treat the harmful effects of excessive scaling. Some of them are,

1. Oral administrative medicine can be given.
2. Gargling can be done with Kshara taila with saindhava taila.
3. Retention can also be done.
4. Brushing the teeth regularly with medicated powders (choorna).   

Conclusion

It is believed that tartar and plaque protect the teeth from injuries which is wrong. The negligence of it leads to chronic periodontal disease but, when scaling is done in excess it leads to swollen gums, sensitivity, etc. Therefore, oral hygiene should be maintained in a very sequential way. In case of any query kindly visit www.PlanetAyurveda.com. For more queries, you can send your queries to our email id herbalremedies123@yahoo.com.