Homecare For Periodontal Disease

Signs of periodontal disease 

When plaque—that sticky, colorless film of food and bacteria—remains on your teeth, it can progress to forming deep gum pockets. Deep gum pockets are one sign of periodontal disease. The gums begin to recede and you may have lost bone around your teeth. 


Regular brushing and flossing are not enough to effectively remove plaque from your teeth. Instead, it takes special tools and techniques to keep your teeth clean. Here is why. 




Homecare problems caused by periodontal disease 


In a healthy mouth, the space between your teeth and gums, called the sulcus, is about 2 to 3 millimeters deep, and your toothbrush and floss can effectively reach these areas. However, with periodontal disease, the sulcus deepens and forms a pocket that is more than 3 millimeters. Regular cleaning tools just cannot clean that deeply. 


Also, in a healthy mouth, the bone level is high and the gums attach at the necks of the teeth. The exposed tooth surface is smooth; the floss can make full contact with the area to keep it thoroughly clean. 


However, periodontal disease causes the bone levels to fall and the tooth attachments to recede. This exposes the root surfaces, which have indentions. Floss stretches across these indentions; it cannot remove the plaque that has formed in them. 




Special cleaning tools 


Special tools are necessary to reach below 3 millimeters and to thoroughly clean the gum pockets and root indentions. Each tool is useful in different areas of your mouth. 


We will be happy to recommend the right tools for your situation. We also show you how to use these tools effectively to keep your teeth and gums healthy.