Contrary to popular belief, a significant number of people remain unaware of having periodontal disease until their dentist specifically points it out to them. The reason is that most of the time, the patients feel no pain and ignore other symptoms as regular dental issues.
However, once detected, your dentist will recommend periodontal maintenance, which is a type of dental cleaning but different from the regular one.
What is Periodontal Disease?
Also known as periodontitis, periodontal disease is an infection in your gums. If the patient does not receive any treatment, the infection can spread. The spread leads to the destruction of soft tissue in the mouth.
In some cases, the infection can also cause teeth to fall out. There are many symptoms of periodontal disease. These include swollen or puffy gums, bright red or purple gums, tender gums, gums bleeding easily, pain while chewing, bad breath, gaps between teeth, receding gums, loose teeth, and pus between teeth and gums.
What is Periodontal Cleaning?
For people suffering from periodontal disease, or those who have had undergone periodontal surgery or root planing, the dentist will recommend periodontal cleaning or maintenance. For such people, regular cleaning is not enough because they might be suffering from bone loss, deep gum pockets, exposed root surfaces, and bleeding gums.
In these cases, periodontal scaling becomes necessary to maintain the health of gums and bones.
Periodontal Cleaning Vs Regular Cleaning
As compared to regular cleaning, periodontal maintenance involves deep cleaning. Dentists use regular cleaning for those who already have healthy gums and bones. The goal is to keep them in this condition.
On the other hand, deep cleaning prevents the disease from advancing. Once the dentist identifies that you suffer from this disease, they will create a schedule of how often you should get the periodontal cleaning.
It is important to follow the advice of your dentist if you do not want serious and irreversible damage to the tissue in your mouth or to lose teeth.
What Happens during Periodontal Cleaning?
When you visit the dentist for your scheduled periodontal maintenance appointment, a hygienist will remove the tartar in your mouth just as it is done during regular cleaning. However, the dentist will proceed to clean between your teeth and down to your gums. This process is called scaling and root planing. The dentist will also examine the pockets of your gums to determine the presence of infection or inflammation in them. The hygienist will flush the area with an antiseptic to control the spread of infection and inflammation.
Periodontal Dentistry in Seattle
Sue Vetter provides quality, comfortable, and hygienic dental services in Seattle. We also provide periodontal dentistry services under the supervision of highly qualified dentists — supported by skilled and trained staff.
If you think you have symptoms of periodontal disease, you can visit our dentists for expert opinion and determine the future course of action.
To learn more about periodontal maintenance or book your appointment, call us or visit our office.
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2101 North 34th Street Suite 170
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TUESDAY – 7 AM – 3:30 PM
WEDNESDAY – 7 AM – 3:30 PM
THURSDAY – 7 AM – 3:30 PM
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