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Introduction: Scaling with root planing is one of the most basic and commonly performed procedures in dentistry. Supragingival calculus removal procedures are reported to cause painful sensations in patients which precludes patients from seeking this primary dental treatment.

Objective: To assess the subjective intensity of pain after supragingival scaling using verbal rating scale (VRS).

Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study was done from 2022 February to 2022 August in department of Periodontics and Oral Implantology, Kathmandu Medical College among 289 patients intended for supragingival scaling. Data collection was started after institutional ethical approval using convenience sampling. Individuals of both sexes of age ≥18 years were included, while those with subgingival calculus and underlying psychiatric and systemic conditions were excluded. Informed consent was taken. The intensity of pain after scaling was recorded using VRS in various age groups, both sexes, periodontal disease diagnosis, and status of calculus deposits. Data entered in Microsoft Excel were analysed for frequency, percent, mean, standard deviation, and standard error of mean.

Result: Verbal rating scale for pain was calculated to be 0.96±0.713 with most (166, 57.4%) reporting only mild pain with score 1. Under various categories, slightly higher pain scores were observed in female (0.99±0.704), elderly and seniors (1.02±0.701), patients with periodontitis (1.04±0.711), and higher calculus deposits (1.89±0.542).

Conclusion: The pain scores were observed higher in female, elderly, periodontitis diagnosis, and higher calculus deposits. The factors associated with pain should be addressed for better patient compliance with primary dental care such as scaling and root planing.

Dental calculus; dental pain; dentinal hypersensitivity; root planing; scaling; verbal rating scale.