Gum therapy involves a set of procedures to reduce infection in your mouth and rebuild tissues damaged by gingivitis or periodontitis.
Nearly all people who do not maintain good daily oral hygiene will develop gingivitis. If left untreated, this bacterial gum infection can progress from gingivitis to periodontitis, which results in bone loss around your teeth. As the bone tissue is lost, the gum tissues detach from the teeth and form little pockets that provide an even better place for bacteria to live . As periodontal disease advances leading to more bone loss, tooth loss can result. Part of this has to do with genetics, as periodontal disease tends to run in families. The good news is that periodontal disease can be controlled, even at more advanced stages.
It's important to understand that you can have periodontal disease with no obvious symptoms, especially if you are a smoker (nicotine reduces blood supply preventing bleeding and swelling of the gum tissues). Still, there are some important things to look for:
Removal of plaque and calculus over the surfaces of teeth and in between the teeth using a ultrasonic cleaner and manual hand scaling. Coronal polishing.
This procedure targets the buildup above the gumline, which is visible to the eyes.
Scaling and Root Planing, also known as a deep cleaning, is very different from a regular cleaning. The presence of calculus under the gumline creates a safe haven for bacteria to collect, and cannot be removed by brushing, flossing or with a regular cleaning. The presence of this bacteria causes an immune response from the body. This immune response results in inflammation, to fight the bacterial infection. If left untreated, the infection and inflammation will continue and progress further under the gum line, resulting in bleeding, red swollen puffy appearance, halitosis(bad breath), recession of the gums, loose teeth and bone loss, and ultimately, the loss of one or more teeth.