With around 48 percent of all Americans affected by advanced gum disease to some degree, routine periodontal maintenance plays a key role in preventing the disease from continually harming your mouth. Periodontal maintenance is a deep cleaning of your teeth and gums to help remove harmful bacteria that builds up within the mouth. We recommend vising our doctors every three months to ensure that your gums and teeth stay healthy and that gum disease does not cause further damage to your oral structure.
Without seeking regular treatment, gum disease can severely harm your oral health, eventually leading to tooth loss. Research has found that gum disease has been linked to other systemic health concerns, such as stroke, heart disease or even dementia. Gum disease cannot be cured once it has been allowed to progress to periodontitis or advanced periodontitis. The only effective treatment at this advanced stage is osseous surgery followed by routine periodontal maintenance to ensure the infection does not become severe again.
Periodontal maintenance involves a thorough cleaning of your teeth and gums. What makes this different than a traditional hygiene appointment is that we will get deep below the gum line into periodontal pockets that develop around your teeth. These pockets harbor bacteria and tartar buildup that you cannot reach on your own with toothbrushes and floss. Our doctors will use ultra-fine tools to gently access the area below your gums and remove bacteria and infection. As board-certified periodontists, we are specialists in gum disease and treatments like periodontal maintenance.