What is Periodontal Maintenance?
The importance of oral health is often underestimated when in reality, it provides insight into overall health. As such, it is critical to take care of the teeth or otherwise, the body will suffer. While everyone is familiar with the regular dental cleanings they receive in the dentist’s office during routine checkups, periodontal maintenance is often less well known. This article will examine periodontal maintenance, who is a candidate for it, and why it is needed.
What is Periodontal Disease?
Periodontitis, or gum disease, is a serious infection of the gums caused by bacterial buildup between the gums and teeth. Left untreated, periodontitis can damage the soft tissues and bone supporting the teeth. As the disease progresses, pockets can form between the gums and teeth causing the teeth to loosen or fall out. Infection, inflammation, systemic health issues (heart disease and diabetes), and bone loss are also possible.
Despite being very common, periodontitis is generally preventable as it is often due to inadequate oral hygiene regimens. The risk of developing periodontitis can be reduced by flossing daily, brushing twice a day, and getting routine dental checkups.
Symptoms of Periodontal Disease
When healthy, gums should be pink and snugly fit around the teeth. Should periodontitis develop, symptoms can include:
- Puffy or swollen gums
- Bright red or purplish gums
- Tenderness in the gums
- Bleeding when flossing or brushing
- Bad breath
- Pus or discharge between the gums and teeth
- Loose teeth
- Pain when chewing
- New spaces develop between the teeth
- Gums pull back from the teeth (gum recession) making them look longer
- Lost teeth
- Change in tooth alignment
Deep Cleaning for Patients with Periodontal Disease
When regular dental cleanings are insufficient, a deep cleaning procedure, called scaling and root planing, may be necessary to reverse the effects of mild to moderate periodontal disease. During scaling, the dentist uses handheld instruments or ultrasonic devices to remove plaque and tartar buildup from the teeth above and below the gumline. After the teeth have been cleaned through scaling, the dentist then smooths out the tooth roots by performing root planing. The two-step procedure helps close any pockets by creating a better environment for the gums to reattach to the teeth.
When is Periodontal Maintenance Needed?
To maintain the gums and prevent recurrence of periodontal disease, patients that have undergone deep cleanings or periodontal surgery will have to a keep ongoing periodontal maintenance visits. A Journal of Clinical Periodontology study from 1984 showed that within one to two months following a deep cleaning procedure, disease-causing bacteria recolonize under the gums. Because of this, patients with prior history of periodontal disease should visit the dentist’s office roughly every three to four months for periodontal maintenance. The exact interval will vary based on the specific condition of the patient’s gums.
When visiting for periodontal maintenance, the dentist will measure the pocket depths and reassess the patient’s periodontal status. While regular dental cleanings remove plaque and tartar from the teeth above the gumline, periodontal maintenance goes deeper, just below the gumline, since the patient is susceptible to buildup based on history of periodontal disease.
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