Periodontal Maintenance
Among the causes for periodontal (gum) disease are plaque, genetic susceptibility, smoking, and other illnesses like diabetes. Periodontal maintenance involves removing plaque and tartar from above and below the gumline that is more extensive than a typical cleaning visit. Most gum diseases are preventable with proper oral hygiene. However, what can start out as gingivitis (inflamed or bleeding gums) can quickly turn into periodontitis, where the bone around teeth is lost. In such cases, gums pull away from the tooth to create “pockets,” thereby making it harder to clean your teeth without professional care. It can also lead to prolonged bad breath, bone loss, loose teeth, painful chewing, and other complications.
Diagnosing Gum Disease
Periodontal, or gum, disease is often diagnosed during a new patient examination. However, it is possible to be diagnosed at your routine cleaning appointment. Using tools such as periodontal probing to record pocket depths, visual examination for inflammation, pus, or plaque buildup, and x-rays to evaluate bone levels, your dentist can determine if you have periodontal disease or are at greater risk of developing it.
Further Treatment
Once you have been diagnosed with periodontal (gum) disease, your dentist will develop a treatment plan for you. This plan may be completed at your regular dentist’s office if you have a mild case, or your dentist may recommend coordinating your care with a specialist to treat more difficult cases. The first line of treatment is called scaling and root planing. Scaling and root planing involves using local anesthetic (numbing medicine) to numb your gums so that a deep cleaning procedure can occur below the gumline and down to the root surfaces to remove the hard deposits hidden there. The dentist may also recommend more frequent cleanings in order to manage your disease and to keep you healthy - these are known as periodontal maintenance appointments.