If you have gum disease, you're not alone. About 80 percent of U.S. adults currently have some form of the disease. It ranges from simple gum inflammation, called gingivitis, to serious disease that can result in damage to the bone.

In gingivitis, the gums become red and swollen. They can bleed easily. Most people can reverse this with daily brushing and flossing and seeing their dentist regularly. Untreated gingivitis can lead to periodontal disease.   The gums pull away from the teeth and form pockets that are infected. If not treated, the bones, gums and connective tissue that support the teeth are destroyed.

So what to do about it? 
 
Deep scaling and root planning (or Initial Therapy for Gum Disease) is the best place to start. The patient is anaesthetized and quadrants of the mouth are meticulously cleaned using curettes gently placed under the gums. Some of this is normally done by the hygienist during a normal cleaning, but a better, more definitive job can be done one quarter of the mouth at a time while the mouth is numb. At these initial  therapy visits (2or 4 visits usually) homecare training is given. This patient education may be the most important part of the visits since a patient’s ability to keep their mouth clean will probably determine whether their mouth remains healthy afterwards. 
 
When this initial therapy is over, it is best to place patients on a frequent oral care schedule to ensure their mouth remains healthy.  Cleaning with our hygienists every three months is usually recommended.  If there is a worsening of the periodontal conditon this will be caught during a subsequent oral care examination.