3 Reasons Periodontal Maintenance is So Important
Posted on: 22 December 2022
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Routine dental cleaning is important for everyone, but those who have been diagnosed with periodontal disease may also need regular periodontal maintenance. This is a special type of cleaning that needs to be conducted in addition to regular cleaning. It's a type of dental appointment that many patients are tempted to ignore, but this can lead to serious consequences.
Here are just three reasons why periodontal maintenance is so important.
1. Deeper Cleaning
The most important reason to have regular periodontal maintenance performed is that your teeth will be cleaned beneath the gum line as well as above it. This is known as subgingival cleaning, and it is required to remove plaque and calculus that can't be removed through brushing, flossing, or even by a dentist during regular cleaning. Additionally, specialized dental equipment will be used to remove debris and bacteria from the gum pockets, and these pockets can also be irrigated with antiseptic products to prevent or reduce inflammation or infection. In many cases, the roots of your teeth will also be smoothed to eliminate any bacteria that remain. This doesn't just improve oral health – it also helps eliminate causes of bad breath that cannot be removed in any other way.
2. Expert Monitoring
If you require periodontal maintenance, it's likely this process will be recommended more frequently than regular tooth cleaning, and there's an important reason why. Periodontal disease can get worse relatively quickly, and you will require dental intervention as soon as possible to prevent serious complications. Periodontal maintenance helps by providing dental professionals with the opportunity to carefully monitor the health of your gums and teeth. They will measure things like the depths of gum pockets, levels of gum recession, and the mobility of your teeth. They can also perform x-rays to check on the health of your jawbone. That means any new treatments that might be required can be performed without serious delay.
3. Provides Valuable Feedback
Periodontal maintenance isn't all about what your dentist can do for your teeth and gums – it's also an opportunity for them to tell you about any changes that need to be made by you. Periodontal disease can be rapidly affected by issues with everything from diet to oral hygiene. As part of your periodontal maintenance session, your dentist will be able to provide feedback that lets you make the changes necessary to help prevent issues from developing further. This might be as simple as changing your brushing technique or giving up acidic drinks, but such changes can have a significant impact.
Contact a dentist to learn more about periodontic maintenance.