Anyone that has faced any stage of gum disease has likely been faced with the fact that they will have to have perio therapy. This type of therapy is used to treat gum disease that is more advanced than just the early stages. If you have noticed that your gums are more tender, they bleed sometimes when you brush, or your teeth have become more sensitive than they ever used to be, you may be experiencing the early stages of gum disease, and need perio therapy to remedy the situation.
What Does Perio Therapy Entail?
Perio therapy is more commonly called scaling and root planing. This procedure is similar to a deeper version of the cleaning that your dentist would give you on one of your semi-annual visits. Instead of just getting the surfaces of your teeth cleaned, during scaling and root planing, your full tooth is cleaned. This means that the tooth from the chewing and biting surface, all the way down to the root, are cleaned and the plaque buildup, called biofilm, is removed. This gives your mouth a clean surface to start over with. Consider it a clean slate for your mouth that should be much easier to maintain. This will not cure your gum disease, but perio therapy should help you get a head start on fighting back, and beating this disease.
Typically, your dentist or periodontist will numb up your mouth, and then get to cleaning your teeth. Between traditional cleaning tools that are part of a dentist’s normal repertoire and lasers, all of the biofilm is removed from your teeth, top to bottom. Perio therapy should give you immediate relief from the pain associated with gum disease.
One of the big benefits of perio therapy is that it removes many of the symptoms immediately. While you may notice an increase in cold or hot sensitivity, you should also notice that your teeth feel totally smooth, your smile is brighter and whiter, and the bad breath that typically accompanies gum disease has disappeared. The intensity of this type of cleaning allows you to get your gum disease to a treatable level, and should help improve your overall health.
After Perio Therapy
Once you have completed perio therapy, you will have to figure out your plan of action with your dentist. You will have to continue to floss, brush, and see your dentist on a regular basis. You may have to take specific medication to keep the risk of an infection low, and you may also be required to use a medicated mouthwash. Only your dentist or periodontist is going to be able to tell you what specific steps will help your mouth recover from your stage of gum disease.