Gum Disease Treatment: From Deep Cleaning to Surgery
Being told you have gum disease, or noticing that your gums bleed when you brush, raises a practical question: what happens next? This article sets out what gum disease is, which stage can be reversed, how a dentist diagnoses it, the treatments in outline, who carries them out and how long recovery takes. Everything clinical below links to the source it comes from.
What gum disease is
Periodontal (gum) disease is an infection that causes inflammation of the tissues that hold your teeth in place. It is typically caused by poor brushing and flossing habits that allow plaque to build up on the teeth, and smoking or using tobacco products is the most significant risk factor (National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research).
Which stage can be reversed
At its earliest stage (gingivitis), gum disease is reversible, but the later stages (periodontitis) damage your gums and the underlying bone. It is important to understand that you can't cure gum disease — you can only manage it (Cleveland Clinic). Early gum disease can often be reversed by daily brushing and flossing (National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research).
How a dentist diagnoses it
To diagnose it, the dentist examines your gums for signs of inflammation, bleeding and receding of the gums away from the teeth, and uses a tiny ruler called a probe to measure the spaces around the teeth, called pockets. An x-ray can show any bone loss (National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research).
The treatments
Gum disease treatment may be nonsurgical or surgical, depending on the stage of disease and your oral and overall health. Nonsurgical treatments include scaling and root planing and antibiotics, and surgical options include pocket reduction surgery and guided tissue regeneration. Scaling and root planing — a deep dental cleaning — reaches beneath your gum line to remove plaque and tartar on your root surfaces (Cleveland Clinic).
For more on one of those surgical options, see osseous (pocket reduction) surgery.
Who does the treatment
Periodontists (gum specialists) usually perform these procedures, but general dentists sometimes treat milder forms of gum disease (Cleveland Clinic). Your dental professional may refer you to a periodontist, a specialist in the diagnosis and treatment of gum disease (National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research).
How long recovery takes
Recovery depends on the treatment: with scaling and root planing you won't need any downtime, while procedures for advanced periodontal disease — such as flap surgery, bone grafts or gum grafts — need anywhere from one to four weeks (Cleveland Clinic).
Next step
Nothing above describes which stage any particular person is at, or what any particular practice does. Our office is at 147 Main St, 2nd Floor, Lodi, NJ 07644, and Dr. Steven Liao is our dentist. If you are new to us, our first-visit page is the place to begin; we also have a page on routine checkups and cleanings.
Sources
- National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. "Periodontal (Gum) Disease." https://www.nidcr.nih.gov/health-info/gum-disease
- Cleveland Clinic. "Gum Disease Treatment." Updated 2023-01-31. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/10907-gum-disease-treatment
