Periodontal Maintenance

What is periodontal maintenance, and how is it any different than the regular cleaning you’ve been having done most of your life? Well, a “regular cleaning,” or prophylaxis, is basically a preventative cleaning.

When you have healthy gums and bones, you go into your dental office about every six months and get a cleaning of the coronal part of your tooth. This includes scaling and polishing procedures to remove plaque, calculus, and stains to help prevent you from getting periodontal disease. 

What is “Coronal”?

Coronal is a term that refers to the crown of the tooth, covered in enamel, or the area of the tooth you can see above the gum-line if there is no recession.

Once you’ve had periodontal disease, your new cleanings are now classified as periodontal maintenance cleanings. 

[Related: Receding Gums]

Periodontal Maintenance Cleanings 

Periodontal maintenance cleanings are more of a therapeutic treatment designed to help manage gum disease. Unlike regular dental cleanings and exams, these focus on controlling periodontal disease and maintaining gum health.
Here’s what you can expect:

• Deep cleaning: It’s not just about removing bacteria. These cleanings focus on keeping your tooth roots smooth and clean, which helps improve the pockets caused by gum disease.

• Thorough process: Your hygienist will clean not only above the gum line, where the enamel is, but also below the gums, on the root surface.

• What’s removed: During the process, the hygienist will remove soft plaque, hard tartar buildup, and diseased tissue through curettage, helping to restore gum health.

[Related: What Is The Difference Between a Periodontist and Endodontist?]

Periodontal Disease is a Chronic Condition

Once you’ve been diagnosed with periodontal disease, you will always have periodontal disease, which means you will have to continue to come in for your periodontal maintenance cleanings.

This is a chronic condition that can be controlled with good oral home care and regular maintenance, but cannot be “cured,” which is why it is so important to come in regularly.

How to Treat Periodontal Disease

The first step in treating gum disease is usually an SRP (scaling and root planing), and sometimes you may need periodontal surgery. Both treatments are aimed at:

• Stopping the infection
• Cleaning and disinfecting the roots of your teeth, both above and below the gum line

However, once gum disease has set in, the damage is permanent. This results in pockets (spaces between your teeth and gums) that trap tartar and plaque. These pockets can’t be cleaned just by brushing and flossing at home, so regular maintenance from your dental or periodontal office is needed.

• Why regular visits matter: Bacteria can accumulate in these pockets in as little as three months, so it’s crucial to visit your dental office three to four times a year.
• This helps maintain the progress you’ve made and keeps the pockets clean and healthy.

[Related: Options For Replacing Missing Teeth]

Keep Up on Periodontal Cleanings

The good news is that with regular maintenance cleanings, you can:

• Shrink the pockets and promote healthier gums.
• In the future, you might be able to return to a six-month cleaning schedule (though it will still be a periodontal maintenance cleaning, not a regular prophylaxis).

It’s crucial to stay on top of these cleanings to keep periodontal disease under control. Why? Because:

• Periodontal disease is the leading cause of about 70% of adult tooth loss.
• It affects three out of four people at some point in their life.

In conclusion:

If you have periodontal disease and want to keep your teeth, teamwork is key. You and your dental or periodontal office should:

• Brush at least twice a day.
• Floss at least once daily.
• Schedule periodontal maintenance cleanings every three to four months.

Bonus tip:

• Quit smoking or using chewing tobacco. Tobacco products can worsen periodontal conditions and make treatment harder.
• If you need help quitting, ask your physician for resources and support options.

[Related: Getting Over the Hurdles That Keep You From Seeing the Dentist]

Want to book an appointment or request a consultation? Contact Cascadia Dental Specialists today.