Periodontal Maintenance: Keeping Gum Disease at Bay After Treatment

Periodontal Maintenance: Keeping Gum Disease at Bay After Treatment

Being treated for gum disease is the first step in the journey to healthier gums. After treatment, periodontal maintenance is the key to stopping gum disease in its tracks. Routine cleanings and checkups can help you and your dental care team stay on top of your gum health while preventing future issues. What is periodontal maintenance? Let’s dive in and learn more.

Understanding Periodontal Disease

To understand periodontal maintenance, it’s essential first to fully grasp periodontal disease. Also called gum disease, periodontal disease is the excessive buildup of bacteria between the gums and teeth.

When tartar accumulates at four or more millimeters below the gum line, it creates an environment in which bacteria can thrive. If not treated, periodontal disease can lead to gum inflammation and, eventually, tooth loss. In some cases, untreated periodontal disease can increase the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and other major health problems.

Routine Dental Cleaning vs. Periodontal Maintenance

Routine dental cleaning is usually recommended for patients who have good oral health. These cleanings can generally be performed when a patient visits the dental office for a routine checkup every six months.

If you have ever had a gum disease diagnosis, you might have noticed that you received “deep cleaning” or periodontal maintenance instead of a routine dental cleaning. While similar to regular dental cleanings, periodontal maintenance isn’t preventative care like routine teeth cleaning. Instead, it is a prescribed treatment. After an active gum infection is treated, periodontal maintenance can help your gums remain stable.

Root Planing

Often performed with teeth scaling, root planing involves thorough cleaning of the roots to remove bacteria, plaque, and tartar below the gum line. The area is numbed with local anesthesia for root planning to ensure the patient is comfortable.

Teeth Scaling

In deep cleaning, teeth scaling chips off tartar that has hardened on the surface of a patient’s teeth. Scaling goes below the tooth surfaces and gum line to remove tartar or plaque buildup. As with root planing, local anesthesia is used.

Gross Debridement

This procedure takes longer than a routine dental cleaning. Sometimes, it is called full-mouth debridement. For gross debridement, the harder-to-reach plaque lurking below the surface of the gums is removed, along with subgingival calculus.

Gross debridement takes longer than a routine cleaning because it focuses on areas not addressed during prophylaxis. Specialized tools remove biofilm and plaque, and ultrasonic vibrations break up calculus.

Patients Who Benefit From Periodontal Maintenance

Any individual treated for gum disease in the past may be a good candidate for regular periodontal maintenance. If any of these applies to your situation, you may benefit from this type of specialized oral care:

  • At high risk for gum disease
  • Pregnant
  • Smoker
  • Family history of periodontal disease

Why Periodontal Maintenance Is So Important

Effective periodontal maintenance is critical in gum disease management. When managed with care by a skilled periodontist, maintenance can prevent the progression of periodontal disease. There are four essential aspects to periodontal maintenance:

  1. Preventative gum care: Regularly scheduled periodontal maintenance appointments can help your periodontist detect early symptoms of gum disease. Early detection can keep the infected gums from progressing to more severe stages.
  2. Periodontal monitoring: A periodontist can monitor your gum health, measure the depths of the pockets, and evaluate any changes in your gums and teeth.
  3. Professional dental cleaning: Regular professional cleanings remove tartar and plaque buildup that is missed by brushing and flossing at home. This reduces the risk of gum infection and inflammation.
  4. Customized periodontal care: Your periodontist will provide personalized recommendations to help you improve oral hygiene practices. Additionally, they will address specific concerns about your gum health with you.

Your Periodontal Dentist in Vero Beach, FL

Dr. Jeff Brown is a periodontist in Vero Beach, Florida. Dr. Brown has been published in the Journal of Periodontology Online as a Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology. He and his staff are here to help you manage gum disease before and after treatment. Schedule your appointment at Vero Implants and Periodontics by calling (772) 569-9700 or contact us via our online form.