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Gum care

Healthy gums fit snugly around your teeth, and together with the bone underneath, they hold your teeth in place. Gum care is about keeping that support strong: catching gum disease early, treating it when it’s there, and keeping it under control afterward.

Gum disease is common in adults, and it often doesn’t hurt, especially at first. That’s why it’s easy to miss. Signs to watch for include:

  • Gums that bleed when you brush or floss
  • Red, swollen, or tender gums
  • Bad breath that doesn’t go away
  • Gums that have pulled back from your teeth
  • Teeth that feel loose or have shifted

At a checkup, your dentist looks at your gums and can measure the small spaces between your gums and teeth. Those measurements can show changes long before you’d notice them yourself.

The earliest stage, gingivitis, can often be reversed. Later stages can’t be undone, but treatment can usually stop the damage from getting worse. Smoking and diabetes make gum disease more likely and harder to control, so tell us if either applies to you.

Below, you’ll find how gum disease is treated and what follow-up care looks like.

Care is provided byDr. James Minici, general dentist.

Treatments

  • Gum disease treatment

    How we treat gum disease, from early gingivitis to deeper infection, including scaling and root planing, a deep cleaning below the gumline.

Healthy gums, gingivitis, and periodontitis: HealthyThree drawings of the same molar cut in half, with the gum shaded. In the healthy tooth the gum fits snugly and the bone reaches close to the crown. With gingivitis the gum is swollen, but the bone is unchanged. With periodontitis a deep pocket has opened between gum and root, tartar has built up on the root, and the bone has worn away.
  • Gum
  • Bone
Healthy, part 1 of 3
Healthy gums, gingivitis, and periodontitis: GingivitisGingivitis. Part 2 of 3 of this figure.
  • Swollen gum
  • Bone
Gingivitis, part 2 of 3
Healthy gums, gingivitis, and periodontitis: PeriodontitisPeriodontitis. Part 3 of 3 of this figure.
  • Pocket
  • Bone loss
Periodontitis, part 3 of 3
Gingivitis is swollen, irritated gum, and the bone is not yet affected. In periodontitis, the gum pulls away from the root to form a pocket, and the bone that holds the tooth is slowly lost.

Periodontal maintenance

After treatment for gum disease, the germs that cause it slowly come back. Periodontal maintenance is a cleaning for gums that have been treated, to help keep the infection under control.

It goes further than a routine cleaning. We clean below the gumline, measure the pockets (the small spaces between your gums and teeth), and compare them with past visits to catch changes early. It feels much like a regular cleaning, and tender areas can be numbed if needed.

These visits are usually every three or four months rather than twice a year, though your dentist will tell you how often you need them. Careful brushing and flossing at home matter just as much.

Many dental plans count these visits differently from routine cleanings, so ask yours how they’re covered. To see how gum disease is treated in the first place, read about gum disease treatment.

An exam is how we find out what’s right for you.

Plan a visit

Tell us a little about what’s going on, and we’ll call you to find a time.

Request a visitCall (772) 301-9033