Periodontal Treatment in Washington

A periodontal exam is a closer look at your gums and the bone under them. It takes a bit longer than a regular checkup, but it isn't hard on you. Most of it is careful looking, measuring, and talking. Here's what it usually includes, so nothing catches you off guard.

It starts with a few questions. Your dentist will ask about your health, any medications you take, and whether you smoke or have diabetes, since those affect your gums. They'll also ask what you've noticed, like bleeding when you floss or a tooth that feels different. Your answers help explain what they find next, so be honest. Nobody's there to judge you.

Next comes the measuring we mentioned earlier. A thin, gentle tool checks the pocket around each tooth, usually at six spots per tooth. Your dentist or hygienist will call out numbers as they go. Healthy pockets tend to read 1 to 3 millimeters. Readings of 4 or more mean the gum is pulling away and a regular cleaning won't reach the bacteria down there.

While they measure, they're also watching for other clues:

Spots that bleed when the tool touches them, which points to active inflammation

How far your gums have pulled back from each tooth

Whether any teeth move or feel loose

Changes in how your teeth fit together when you bite

Tartar buildup below the gumline

X-rays round out the picture. They show what can't be seen from the outside, like how much bone is still holding each tooth in place. Measurements and X-rays together tell a much clearer story than either one alone.

So, does it hurt? For most people, not much. Healthy gums barely notice the measuring. Inflamed gums can feel tender, and you might see a little bleeding. That's part of what the exam is looking for, not a sign something went wrong. If any spot feels sore, say so.

Once the checks are done, your dentist will walk you through what they found in plain words. You'll see which areas look healthy and which need attention. If your gums are in good shape, a routine cleaning may be all you need. If some pockets are deeper, the next step is often a deep cleaning that reaches below the gumline.

This exam matters even more if you're missing a tooth. If you're thinking about implant dentistry in Washington, healthy gums come first, because an implant needs firm gum and solid bone around it to do its job. Getting your gums settled now keeps that option open.

At our office on Peoria Street, Dr. Dennis Burton and Dr. Jonathan Gifford see patients for periodontal care. You'll leave knowing where your gums stand and what, if anything, comes next.

Plenty of people who worry about their gums don't need periodontal treatment at all. If your exam shows shallow pockets and your X-rays show the bone around your teeth is holding steady, a regular cleaning is the right call.

Bleeding gums don't always mean gum disease has set in below the surface. Often it's the early stage, called gingivitis. The gums are irritated by plaque along the edge, but they haven't started pulling away from the tooth and no bone has been lost. At this stage, the damage can usually be turned around.

A regular cleaning is likely all you need when:

Your pocket readings stay in the healthy range, even if a few spots bleed when they're checked.

Your X-rays don't show bone loss around any teeth.

None of your teeth feel loose, and your bite feels the same as it always has.

The bleeding started after a change, like picking flossing back up, and it's fading.

One sore spot traces back to something simple, like a popcorn hull or seed stuck under the gum, and it settles once it's out.

Here's a common example. You haven't been to the dentist in a while. Your gums bleed a little when you brush, and you've read enough online to feel nervous. At your visit, the measurements come back shallow and the X-rays look fine. You get a cleaning, a few tips, and a plan to come back for your next checkup.

What you do at home matters most in this case. Brush twice a day with a soft brush, aimed gently at the gumline. Clean between your teeth once a day with floss or small picks. Keep your regular checkups. Most mild gum irritation calms down within a couple of weeks once plaque stops sitting along the edge of the gums.

You also have every right to ask questions if a deep cleaning is suggested. Ask what your pocket readings were and which teeth they came from. Ask whether the X-rays show bone loss. A deep cleaning and a regular cleaning are billed differently, so it's fair to want to know why one is being recommended over the other.

Some things can make your gums act up for a while without meaning you need more treatment. Pregnancy, a new medication, or a stressful stretch can all leave gums puffier or more tender than usual. These still deserve attention, and you may need cleanings a little more often for a time. But tender gums alone don't put you on a path to deep cleanings.

If your gums are healthy, the goal is simple: keep them that way. A routine cleaning and good daily habits do that job well.

Scaling and root planing is what most people call a deep cleaning. It's usually the first step when your pockets measure deeper than they should. The goal is simple. It gets the bacteria and hardened tartar out of the places a regular cleaning can't reach, so your gums have a chance to heal.

The treatment has two parts, and each one does its own job.

Scaling removes plaque and tartar from below the gumline, all the way down the root to the bottom of each pocket. That buildup is what keeps your gums irritated and bleeding.

Root planing smooths the surface of the root after it's clean. Rough spots give bacteria a place to grab on. A smooth root makes it harder for them to settle back in and easier for the gum to lie flat against the tooth again.

Because the cleaning goes below the gums, the area is usually numbed first. Most people feel pressure and some scraping, but not sharp pain. A deep cleaning often isn't done on the whole mouth at once. It's common to split it into sections, sometimes over two visits, so each area gets careful attention.

Afterward, your gums may feel sore or tender for a few days. Your teeth may be a bit sensitive to cold. That's normal and tends to fade as the gums settle. Soft foods and gentle brushing help in the meantime. Some bleeding the first day or two is expected too.

Here's the part that matters most. A few weeks later, your pockets get measured again. When the swelling goes down, those numbers often drop, and spots that bled before may stop. That follow-up shows whether the treatment worked.

This is also where catching gum disease early pays off. Pockets that are only a little deep tend to respond well to scaling and root planing alone. Pockets that are very deep, or teeth that have lost a lot of bone, may not close up as much. The earlier you start, the more likely a deep cleaning is all it takes.

It's worth being honest about one thing. A deep cleaning controls gum disease. It doesn't make it go away for good. Once you've had it, your gums need closer care to keep the bacteria from building back up. That usually means cleanings every few months instead of twice a year, plus steady brushing and flossing at home.

If your follow-up numbers look good, you move into that routine and keep an eye on things. If some areas are still deep, your dentist will walk you through what comes next and why, based on those specific teeth.