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Have you been told by your dentist or hygienist that you need to have a deep cleaning?  What exactly does that mean?  I often hear from patients when they are told that they need to have a deep cleaning that they don’t want a deep cleaning, they just want to have a regular cleaning because that’s what their insurance pays for.  What they need to understand is that they have Gum Disease and we need to treat them differently compared to someone that just comes in every 6 months for a cleaning.
 

Gum Disease, also referred to as periodontal disease, is an infection that affects a large portion of our adult population and is a major cause of tooth loss.  In order to help you manage your disease, we need to start with a deep cleaning.  Sometimes this needs to be done in isolated areas of the mouth and sometimes the entire mouth is infected.  When we see patients for a gum disease treatment, otherwise known as a deep cleaning, we numb your mouth to help with any discomfort and we actually go below the gum line and clean to remove any bacteria that is present. This is what helps keep your disease from progressing and keeps your mouth healthy. 
 

Once we have completed your deep cleaning, it is important that we see you on what we call a perio maintenance schedule.  We will have you come into the office for a perio maintenance cleaning every 3-4 months to keep the bacteria from again forming below the gum line.  It’s so important to stay on this cleaning schedule because if you don’t the bacteria can take over and then we will need to do another deep cleaning to get things under control.
 

How can you tell if you may have gum disease?  Here are some warning signs:

·         Gums that bleed easily

·         Red, swollen or tender gums

·         Changes in the way your teeth close together when you bite

·         Any changes you may notice in how your dentures or partials fit

·         Bad breath or bad taste in your mouth

·         Separating of your permanent teeth

·         If you have gum tissues that are pulling away from your teeth
 

There are also certain habits or diseases that can increase you risk factor for developing gum disease.  Some of those risk factors are:

·         Smoking or chewing tobacco

·         Pregnancy

·         Diabetes

·         Medications that you may be taking such as steroid, cancer drugs, oral contraceptives and more. Please be sure to ask your medical doctor if what you are taking will put you at an increased risk for gum disease

·         Poor oral hygiene or crooked teeth can increase your risk so make sure you brush well and see your dentist regularly
 

If you think that it is possible that you have gum disease, please call your dentist and schedule an exam and cleaning.  If you are told that you have gum disease, follow the protocol for treatment given to you; remember that our goal is to keep you healthy!  I look forward to seeing you at your next visit!