“Dental deep cleaning?”
I am in my early 20’s and have just begun my oral health journey as I finally have a job with dental benefits. I recently was told that I’d have to start with getting a deep clean (periodontal scaling and root planning). This is my first time having a cleaning of any kind done and I was a little nervous but went in to have the left side of my mouth (top and bottom) done first. They had someone filling in for their regular hygienist and she was very passionate and kind. She explained everything that she was doing as she went and made sure that I was comfortable the whole time. I left happy and only a little sore as to be expected.
Now a couple of weeks later I go in to have my right side done by the regular hygienist. I’m expecting it to go about the same if not better considering this lady has more than twice as much experience as the last one. She is nice enough but I noticed that she only gave me 2 numbing shots on the top and bottom rather than 3 each like the last time. She also didn’t wait for it to kick in before she started. This caused me to feel a great deal of pain during the procedure and having to keep raising my hand to let her know I could still very much feel it. Instead of numbing me more, she would focus on another area before going back.
I ended up suffering through this and thinking that’d be the worst of it when I left. I felt pretty sore when I got home but just took it easy eating soup for dinner, taking ibuprofen, doing multiple saltwater rinses, and gently brushing my teeth that night. I wasn’t getting much sleep and then at about 1 am woke up due to having so much pain. The whole right side of my mouth hurts. My gums are swollen over the size of my teeth causing me to not be able to close my mouth all the way. My jaw is now very sore and it hurts to swallow. I do more saltwater rinses and try to sleep. End up calling into work the next morning and eventually calling my dentist office.
I explain everything to the gal that answered and was not given any further advice other than what I have already been doing. I understand that some discomfort is to be expected but this is night and day from when the other hygienist did my other side. Not only has this been unpleasant it also doesn’t look like she did a very good job, it looks to my untrained eye that there are some spots she missed. Please let me know if this sounds like it’s pretty normal or if I am justified to find a new dentist because of this experience. Also if anyone has tips to soothe my gums other than saltwater and ibuprofen please share.
Now a couple of weeks later I go in to have my right side done by the regular hygienist. I’m expecting it to go about the same if not better considering this lady has more than twice as much experience as the last one. She is nice enough but I noticed that she only gave me 2 numbing shots on the top and bottom rather than 3 each like the last time. She also didn’t wait for it to kick in before she started. This caused me to feel a great deal of pain during the procedure and having to keep raising my hand to let her know I could still very much feel it. Instead of numbing me more, she would focus on another area before going back.
I ended up suffering through this and thinking that’d be the worst of it when I left. I felt pretty sore when I got home but just took it easy eating soup for dinner, taking ibuprofen, doing multiple saltwater rinses, and gently brushing my teeth that night. I wasn’t getting much sleep and then at about 1 am woke up due to having so much pain. The whole right side of my mouth hurts. My gums are swollen over the size of my teeth causing me to not be able to close my mouth all the way. My jaw is now very sore and it hurts to swallow. I do more saltwater rinses and try to sleep. End up calling into work the next morning and eventually calling my dentist office.
I explain everything to the gal that answered and was not given any further advice other than what I have already been doing. I understand that some discomfort is to be expected but this is night and day from when the other hygienist did my other side. Not only has this been unpleasant it also doesn’t look like she did a very good job, it looks to my untrained eye that there are some spots she missed. Please let me know if this sounds like it’s pretty normal or if I am justified to find a new dentist because of this experience. Also if anyone has tips to soothe my gums other than saltwater and ibuprofen please share.
Female | 23 years old
Complaint duration: 2 days
Medications: None
Conditions: Pre periodontal disease
3 Answers
Dental cleaning will never cause the issue you describing. This is most likely coincidental. Since you had (according to your story) multiple dental treatments to your teeth, especially your front teeth, those teeth are at the high risk of developing infection at any time of your life (statistically 20% risk). You definitely will have sensitivity getting worse over lifetime of those teeth again due to the multiple dental treatments. The more the tooth has damage from decay, or the more various dental treatments done, the worse is the health of the tooth in general. So, it is only matter of time when the nerve in the tooth will develop infection. What you describing most likely could be infection on one or multiple teeth, but also it can be an allergy. Sometimes it is impossible to do full diagnosis in person when doctor sees all X-rays and does an exam; it is especially impossible to diagnose over the email or phone. Get an appointment with your dentist, have X-rays and let them evaluate. But one thing is for sure, it is not the cleaning which caused your problem.
No way without seeing you to check what was done to advise you on this. I’ve had hygienists who were very gentle, but not thorough, and hygienists who were very thorough, but not so gentle. The rule in our office is not to hurt the customers. To give more anesthesia if it bothers the patient, and sometimes the topical “paint on” type helps. I hope they can help you stop the gum disease before you have any bone loss (permanent).
You should insist on seeing the dentist in charge of the dental clinic and have him/her examine you. If the dentist does not wish to see you, then it might be your choice to visit a different dental clinic.
