You may have gum disease if your gums are red, swollen, or bleeding. It is natural for this to happen from time to time after eating something that irritates your gums or brushing too aggressively. However, if this happens on a regular basis then you may have some type of gum disease. In its early stages, gum disease can cause some irritation and bleeding. There may be some discomfort, but it will be minimal. This stage is called gingivitis. If left untreated, the disease will spread, and the gums will start to recede by pulling away from the tooth. This creates pockets in the gum tissue that can expose more of the tooth structure and the root system. Once exposed, the tooth and roots are more susceptible to becoming infected as bacteria can gather and start to irritate the area. This can lead to cavities and infections along with bone loss. In severe cases, bone loss in combination with receding gums can lead to tooth loss.

Scaling and root planing is one of the most common and effective treatments recommended for gum disease before it becomes severe. This deep cleaning treatment includes two main steps:

• Scaling: In scaling, we remove plaque and tartar (dental calculus) from the tooth surface.
• Root Planing: This step involves cleaning the roots of the teeth, smoothing them to remove bacterial toxins.

The goals of scaling and root planing are to remove bacteria, plaque, and tartar, and to halt the progress of the disease.

Scaling and root planing may be combined with other types of periodontal therapy, such as antibiotic treatment. For most patients, scaling and root planing is enough to prevent periodontal disease from progressing further. For more information about the benefits of scaling and root planing and to learn more about the other types of periodontal treatment we offer, please do not hesitate to contact our office.