A Look at the Many Non-Surgical Gum Treatments Options

If you have a problem with your gums and do not want to undergo surgery, do not panic. There are numerous non-surgical gum treatments available that will improve the condition of your gums.

Below, we take a look at the different non-surgical gum treatments ranging from basic dental cleanings to more complex procedures.

Professional Dental Cleaning

Visit with the dentist for a checkup and you will enjoy a professional dental cleaning. This cleaning includes the teeth as well as the gums. The dentist or hygienist will remove the tartar and plaque along the teeth and below the gum line. This professional dental cleaning should take place at least two times  per year. These cleanings will help prevent the onset of gum disease yet they do not suffice as a treatment for gum disease, alone.

Scaling and Root Planing

This non-surgical procedure is a deep clean performed under a local anesthetic. It reaches much deeper than the typical teeth cleaning. Scaling and root planing is usually performed with the assistance of local anesthesia. Tartar and plaque are removed from above and below the gum line. They are scraped away until eliminated. This is the scaling portion of the process.

Rough spots along the root of the tooth are then smoothed out with planing. The smoothing of the rough portions eliminates bacteria and presents a clean area for the gums to reconnect to the teeth. Scaling and root planing is performed if the dentist determines the patient has plaque and calculus (also known as tartar) below the gums that must be removed. In some instances, scaling and root planing is all that is necessary to successfully treat gum disease. This approach is especially effective to treat gum disease prior to it becoming overly severe.

Periodontal Maintenance Therapy

Periodontal maintenance involves multiple visits for ongoing gum care. A variety of procedures ranging from scaling to polishing above and below the gums, examinations, stability monitoring and beyond are performed as necessary.

Drugs Can Also Be Used to Treat Gum Disease

Antibiotic treatments can be used alone, in combination with surgery or with another form of therapy. Drugs can also be used on a temporary basis to combat the bacteria tied to gum disease. They can even suppress the dismantling of the tooth's connection to the bone. As an example, chlorhexidine is an antimicrobial that controls gingivitis and plaque within the mouth as well as periodontal pockets. It can be taken as a mouth rinse or as a chip filled with gelatin that is positioned within pockets following root planing. Additional antibiotics that can be used to treat gum disease include tetracycline, doxycycline and minocycline. It is even possible to use a non-prescription toothpaste with fluoride to combat gingivitis and plaque.