Periodontal Maintenance vs Regular Cleaning

Periodontal Maintenance vs Regular Cleaning

Your dental cleaning can take on two different forms‚ depending on the status of your gums․ Routine cleanings are done to prevent oral issues from arising․ If you have gum disease or have had gum disease‚ then periodontal maintenance is necessary․ Everyone should have regular cleanings, but not everyone will need periodontal maintenance appointments. Knowing how these services differ can help you understand why your dentist has recommended one over the other․

The ultimate goal of a standard cleaning is to prevent disease: your hygienist will remove plaque and hardened tartar from your teeth and gumline‚ and your teeth will be polished to remove surface staining․ Your dental health professional will also look for common problems such as cavities‚ early signs of gum disease‚ and more․

Periodontal maintenance is not just cleaning; it means you have a history of periodontal disease and need treatment to prevent it from worsening. Your periodontal disease resulted in inflammation of the tissue surrounding your teeth and increased pockets between the gums and teeth․ You were left with pockets that can harbor bacteria below the gumline. Because of their location, you can’t address them with at-home brushing and flossing‚ so maintenance treatment seeks to keep these pockets as clean and healthy as possible․

Your gum health is monitored at your checkups․ Your dentist or dental hygienist will check your gums for swelling‚ redness‚ bleeding‚ recession‚ and other changes․ Your dentist may periodically check the depth of the pockets around your teeth to see if the gum or periodontal tissues around your teeth are stable․

If your periodontal maintenance treatments are working well, you may find that your dentist is asking you to come in less often․ Although routine dental cleanings may be made every six months for those with healthy gums‚ others may be placed on periodontal maintenance at three or four months‚ depending on each individual periodontal condition and response to treatment․

A further difference is the area receiving the most attention: the hygienist focuses on the visible parts of the teeth and the gumline during a typical prophylaxis‚ but they may spend more time cleaning below the gumline and around the tooth roots where deposits can potentially be a continuing source of inflammation․

It is important to understand that periodontal maintenance does not mean you have been cured of your gum disease․ Periodontal disease can be controlled‚ but it may need continuing treatment to maintain this control․ Routine appointments will allow your dental team to check for any changes and advise on further treatment․

Your daily routine also supports both types of professional cleaning․ Brushing twice a day thoroughly and cleaning between your teeth every day helps control plaque accumulation․ If you have periodontal disease‚ your dentist may recommend that you use an interdental brush‚ water flosser‚ or another cleaning tool for more effective cleaning․

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: What is Dental Prophylaxis?