What is Periodontal Maintenance?
Periodontal maintenance is dental treatment that helps control your gum disease after it has been diagnosed or treated․ It is different from a regular dental cleaning because it focuses more on your gums and the area around your teeth․ Regular appointments help to control the harmful bacteria‚ reduce inflammation, and prevent gum disease from getting worse․
Periodontal disease starts when bacteria grow below the gumline and cause pockets to form between your gums and teeth․ These pockets cannot be cleaned with regular brushing and flossing․ Even if your gum health has improved following professional treatment‚ bacteria can still build up again․ Periodontal maintenance appointments allow your dental team to remove this bacteria before serious problems develop․
During periodontal maintenance visits‚ your hygienist will perform a periodontal maintenance cleaning‚ which involves cleaning above and below the gum line to remove plaque and hard‚ mineralized tartar in areas where toothbrushes and dental floss cannot reach․ The hygienist will also check your gums for redness‚ swelling‚ bleeding and any increase in size of the pockets around your teeth‚ which may help your dental team decide if your periodontal health is stable․
Your dentist or hygienist may also measure the space between your teeth and gums to help determine the health of the tissue around your teeth that supports them․ These depths may be used either to indicate worsening gum disease or to monitor whether treatment and maintenance are effective if the measurements are stable or decreasing․
The best schedule for periodontal maintenance appointments varies from person to person․ Many people who have had periodontal disease should have maintenance appointments every three to four months․ This gives your dental team the chance to monitor your gums more closely and remove harmful bacteria before it can cause any more damage to your mouth․ Your dentist will usually advise follow up appointments based on your condition and how well your gums have responded to the treatment provided․
Personal hygiene at home is also an important element of periodontal maintenance․ Professional maintenance appointments cannot substitute for tooth brushing or flossing․ It is recommended that you brush your teeth twice a day with a soft-bristled toothbrush‚ and use an interdental cleaning product every day‚ such as interdental brushes or water flossers․ Your dental team can help you decide which method is best for you․
Periodontal maintenance can save your teeth․ When periodontal disease is untreated or uncontrolled‚ the disease will destroy bone and tissue‚ and eventually result in tooth loss․ Your regular maintenance visits provide your dental team with more opportunities to detect changes and recommend additional treatment․
One important thing to understand about periodontal maintenance is that it is a lifelong process․ Even if your mouth feels normal‚ gum disease is treatable but never cured‚ and it will need management throughout your life․ Regular visits to a dentist or hygienist and an effective routine at home can improve the health of your gums․
If you have more questions about periodontal maintenance or how it could help you achieve better dental health, make an appointment with the dentist to see if periodontal maintenance is a part of the best treatment plan for you.
Related Article: How Much Does Periodontal Maintenance Cost?