Occasionally, our patients require more than a standard cleaning. We perform a non-surgical gum treatment when the periodontium, which is the foundation of teeth structure gums, ligaments, and bone is unhealthy. You can see signs of an unhealthy periodontium and gum disease. These signs include gums that are red and bleed easily, gums that are receding or pulling away from the teeth, consistently bad breath, loose or shifting teeth. There is a perception that it is normal to have gums bleed when you brush or floss, this is not true. This is a sign of a problem, but a problem that we can help with. Dr. Perkiomaki, along with his dental hygienist perform a deep cleaning. What is a deep cleaning?
A deep cleaning is a treatment we perform to help establish a healthy periodontium. We need to clean between the gums and teeth down to the root, where bacteria has reached and infected. This treatment may include root planing, scaling, local anesthetic, ultrasonic vibrations and antibiotics. Untreated gum disease may lead to more extensive surgeries or tooth extraction. Scaling is the process of removing the dangerous bacteria and calculus that has developed. Planing is the process of smoothing out your dental roots, making it less likely for plaque to accumulate on your roots in the future. Gum disease is never cured, simply maintained, and you want to maintain it to keep your healthy smile.Contact our Portland office today for more information: (503) 292-8996
