DR Jeanne said:
Chas, I wouldn't look forward to a deep scaling, either. But there's a way to avoid this sort of thing in the future. May I present...Closys mouthwash! I used to collect a lot of tartar, even with the requisite trips to the dentist, and was developing deep pockets. (Not the good kind, either.) Two weeks after trying Closys I had another exam and everything had cleared up! I was amazed! Others I know who've tried it had similar experiences and thank me for telling them about it. Available at some drug stores and also at Amazon. There's a toothpaste, too, but I only use the Closys mouthwash.
Believe it or not, I found I didn't mind the procedure, in spite of it sounding ghastly. Being totally numbed, I could tell she was scraping down deep like a sumbitch, but I never felt a thing. Even more surprising, not after any of the four sessions did I feel any soreness or sensitivity whatever after the numbness had worn off. It was kind of a breeze, as absurd as that sounds.
Twelve years ago was when I had it before, and she was doing it in quadrants, one section of the mouth at a time, each a week apart. Now they're doing it in just two sessions, one complete side and then the other. So, other than the pain it will do to my wallet, I don't view it with any particular dread.