If more serious periodontal disease occurs, a procedure called root scraping and smoothing may be recommended. This thorough cleaning procedure not only removes plaque and tartar, but it also softens the root surface so that gum tissue can reattach to the tooth, reducing the size of the pouch. Periodontal pockets can be treated and reversed with good oral hygiene or dental treatment. However, if left untreated, periodontal pockets can cause tooth loss.
In addition to root scraping and smoothing, another nonsurgical treatment involves using topical or oral antibiotics to control bacterial infection. If you need more advanced treatment, several types of surgery can eliminate the infection and reduce gum pockets. These include flap surgery, soft tissue or bone grafts, and guided tissue regeneration. Dental professionals often prescribe therapeutic mouthwashes as a non-surgical way to help treat gum disease and clean periodontal pockets.
By maintaining regular dental visits and a consistent home care routine, you're doing everything you can to mitigate the chances of developing periodontal pockets. Diagnosing and treating periodontal disease in its early stages can eliminate unhealthy periodontal pockets. In most cases, gum disease is detected at this early stage as part of biannual dental checkups, but if plaque and tartar are not routinely removed, the inflammation and destruction of hard and soft tissue will progress to the more severe periodontitis phase of gum disease. Periodontal pockets and periodontal disease can be avoided by practicing good oral hygiene and seeing your dentist regularly for cleanings.
In addition to a visual evaluation of the gum tissue, the dentist will measure the depth of the pocket around each of the teeth with a periodontal probe. In this blog, we'll discuss what periodontal pockets are, how they relate to gum health, and why it's so important to regularly monitor the depth of periodontal pockets. If you experience any of these symptoms, you should see your dentist, who can formally diagnose any periodontal pockets that are present. By repairing your periodontal pockets and following the treatment plan recommended by your dentist, you can significantly reduce the effects of gum disease on your oral health and prevent gingivitis from developing into more serious periodontitis.
However, in cases where there are deep pockets in the gums, your dentist may recommend surgical treatment to stabilize the periodontal condition.
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