If you have gum disease, you’re not alone. In fact, recent studies indicate that nearly half of all adults in the U.S. have gum disease. That’s an alarming statistic! Now for the good news: in the majority of the cases, gum disease can be successfully treated and patients can return to enjoying good oral health for years to come. There are a variety of treatment options for gum disease. Which one is right for you will depend on how advanced your gum disease is. What follows are the most common treatments.
- Professional teeth cleaning – If you have gingivitis (the earliest stage of gum disease), your dentist will probably recommend that you have your teeth professionally cleaned. Often, a skilled hygienist can set you on the road to good oral health simply by removing the plaque and tartar buildup and suggesting a more aggressive at-home oral hygiene routine for the future.
- Scaling and root planing – If your gum disease has advanced past the very initial stage, your dentist may recommend scaling and root planing. Scaling involves either your dentist or a trained hygienist removing tartar and plaque from the periodontal pocket (gum pocket) around each tooth. That’s followed by a planing procedure, where the teeth roots are smoothed (i.e., “planed”) to facilitate healing of the gum tissue and reattachment to the teeth surface.
- Surgery – If your gum disease is even more advanced, and/or if scaling and planing isn’t as effective as your dentist would like, you may need to undergo periodontal surgery. This involves removal of plaque and tartar from areas that can’t be reached in a typical scaling and planing procedure. The gum tissue is sutured into place after the procedure.
Follow-up to Gum Disease Treatment
One of the most crucial aspects of any gum disease treatment is follow-up by the patient after the treatment is complete. You’ll need to be extra diligent in performing a consistent dental hygiene routine at home each and every day. That should include – at a bare minimum – brushing twice a day and flossing once. But for many people who have experienced gum disease and undergone treatment for it, that’s not enough. Most patients go the extra mile to ensure they don’t have to go through more treatment for their condition. This involves additional hygiene steps, such as flossing after each time they brush, using a water flosser tool, and rinsing with anti-bacterial mouthwash twice a day. Your dentist can recommend the best oral hygiene routine for you.
