What is Periodontal Maintenance?

Having your teeth professionally cleaned regularly is a vital part of maintaining oral health. Oral hygiene at home is, of course, part of your daily self-care, but visiting your dentist at least twice a year for a cleaning and exam is the best way to prevent gum disease and other, more severe issues.

Not all cleanings are created equal, and based on your general oral health, your dentist can help determine what type of cleaning is best for you. Most patients are fine to have regular, preventative cleanings, called dental prophylaxis, but some need a little more attention. For those who are at risk of developing or have active gum disease, a deep cleaning is often recommended as a first step in treating periodontal issues. Patients with severe gum disease may be referred to a periodontist for specialized treatment, including surgical procedures.

A deep cleaning may also be referred to as scaling and root planing and is a more invasive, but non-surgical, treatment used to clear up gum disease. Most dental offices perform this type of cleaning, but in some cases, they may still refer you to a periodontist for a deep cleaning. Patients who undergo scaling and root planing or any other periodontal treatment with a periodontist will move forward with periodontal maintenance cleanings.

What is periodontal maintenance?

Periodontal maintenance is a type of cleaning that is reserved for patients who have had periodontal treatment. It is a deeper cleaning than a dental prophylaxis, but not as invasive as scaling and root planing. Gum disease develops in the gum pockets, which are the little spaces between the gum tissue and the surface of the tooth on every side of the tooth. When plaque and bacteria build up and calcify into tartar in the gum pockets, the tartar causes the gum tissue to pull away from the surface of the tooth.

While scaling and root planing is the type of cleaning used to remove tartar from deep within the gum pockets, periodontal maintenance removes plaque and tartar buildup just below the surface of the gum line to keep everything in check. Local anesthetic is used for a scale and root planing, but not for periodontal maintenance.

Patients who fall into the category of periodontal maintenance cleanings generally need to have their teeth cleaned more than every six months. Most perio patients come in every 3 to 4 months to have their teeth cleaned in an effort to keep periodontal disease from recurring.

Left untreated, periodontal disease can have a detrimental impact on oral and systemic health. Many studies have proven that there is a link between oral health and medical conditions, such as heart disease, dementia, and diabetes. Patients who are at risk of developing periodontal disease should speak with their dentist to see if periodontal maintenance is the best path moving forward to keep everything healthy.

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