It might not seem like it, but returning to perfect oral health after a case of periodontal disease is possible. However, it will involve sessions of plaque removal or even surgical procedures. These may be needed to help you treat deep infection and restore your gums’ health and appearance. There is, however, a need to maintain excellent oral hygiene even after the problem is long gone. The last thing you want is recurring infections. The only way to do this is through proper periodontal maintenance.
Periodontal Maintenance
Periodontal maintenance basically involves regular dental visits aimed at monitoring the gums with cleaning and treatment as may be required. Most people need to see their regular dentist twice per year for cleanings and checkups to maintain a healthy mouth. But if you’ve had gum disease, your dental visits for periodontal maintenance will have to be more frequent. Your dentist will recommend the frequency of your visits based on the severity of your symptoms.
While you may start with visiting the periodontist every other week, this may become less frequent and spaced to once a month or once every three months as time goes on, depending on the extent of the disease and whether your mouth remains disease free. Over time, you may be able to return to twice-a-year visits once your mouth is back to optimal health.
When you visit us for periodontal maintenance, we’ll conduct a thorough examination of your mouth while also screening it for any potential signs of oral cancer. This examination will check for signs of possible gum disease reinfection as well as other oral health issues. This will also give us an opportunity to ascertain the effectiveness of your oral hygiene so we can make recommendations for improvement. This helps us and yourself to take proper care of your gums while also keeping reinfection or other possible oral health issues under control.
Regular monitoring and care provided by our proactive approach to periodontal maintenance will help you reduce risks of reinfections to the barest minimum. Gum disease is a very destructive disease. With the Dream Smile team, however, we can help keep it under control and make your mouth healthy again.
For more information, schedule a visit or contact Dr. Norman and the Dream Smile team at 425-366-8246. We’ll be glad to help.
