Gum care
Periodontal care — saving the teeth around the gum line.
Gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults over thirty. Catching it early — and treating it consistently — is how you keep the teeth you have.
Gum disease starts quietly. Plaque hardens into tartar at the gum line, the gum tissue becomes irritated, and over time it begins to pull away from the tooth, forming pockets. Those pockets are impossible to clean at home, so plaque keeps collecting in them, the inflammation deepens, and eventually the bone that anchors your teeth starts to recede. By the time the tooth feels loose, the disease has been progressing for years.
The good news is that gum disease responds well to treatment when you catch it. The cleaning your hygienist does at every routine visit includes a measurement of pocket depth — the early warning system. Pockets of one to three millimeters are healthy. Four millimeters and up signals trouble.
Scaling and root planing
When gum disease is diagnosed, the first treatment is usually scaling and root planing — a deep cleaning that removes plaque and tartar from below the gum line, then smooths the tooth root surfaces so the gum can reattach. It’s typically done over one or two visits with local anesthesia for comfort. For early-to-moderate cases, this treatment alone is often enough to halt the disease completely.
Periodontal maintenance
After the initial deep cleaning, you’ll move from a standard six-month recall to a three- or four-month periodontal maintenance schedule. The maintenance visit looks similar to a regular cleaning but goes deeper into the previously-affected pockets, keeping tartar from re-establishing. This isn’t forever — it’s the cadence your gums need to stay stable.
Many of our long-term Churchville patients have been on periodontal maintenance for years and have kept every tooth. The alternative — skipping maintenance after deep cleaning — almost always leads to the disease returning, and eventual tooth loss. The choice isn’t hard.
Why it matters beyond your mouth
Chronic gum inflammation has been associated with cardiovascular disease, stroke risk, and harder-to-manage blood sugar in diabetic patients. Treating gum disease isn’t just about teeth — it’s about reducing the kind of low-grade chronic inflammation that affects your whole body.
Frequently asked
Periodontal care — common questions.
How do I know if I have gum disease?
The early signs are usually subtle — gums that bleed when you brush or floss, gums that look puffy or red instead of pink, persistent bad breath, or a slight separation of the gum from the tooth. Many people don't notice anything until the condition has progressed. That's exactly why we measure gum pocket depths at every routine cleaning.
What is scaling and root planing?
It's a deeper cleaning that removes plaque and tartar from below the gum line, then smooths the tooth root surfaces so the gum can reattach. It's usually done over one or two visits with local anesthesia. For early-to-moderate gum disease, it's often enough to halt progression entirely.
Will I need it every visit going forward?
Not exactly. After scaling and root planing, most patients move from a standard six-month cleaning recall to a three- or four-month periodontal maintenance schedule. Those maintenance visits keep tartar from rebuilding in the pockets and prevent the disease from returning. It's not 'forever' — it's the cadence your gums need to stay stable.
Why does gum disease matter beyond my mouth?
Ongoing gum inflammation is linked to systemic conditions including heart disease, stroke risk, and harder-to-manage blood sugar in diabetic patients. Treating gum disease isn't just about saving teeth — it's about reducing chronic inflammation in your body.
Can gum disease be reversed?
Early-stage gum inflammation (gingivitis) is fully reversible with professional cleaning and consistent home care. Once the disease has progressed to the bone-loss stage (periodontitis), the goal shifts from reversal to halting further damage and maintaining what's there. The earlier we catch it, the better the outcome.
Concerned about your gums?
A comprehensive exam is the right starting point. Plan your visit today.