What is Periodontal Care?
Periodontal care refers to the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of diseases affecting the gums and the supporting structures of the teeth (such as the alveolar bone and periodontal ligament). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), periodontal (gum) diseases—ranging from gingivitis to advanced periodontitis—involve inflammation and
infection of the tissues that surround and support the teeth.
A specialist in this field (a periodontist) will often handle more complex cases, for example when there is advanced bone loss, deep periodontal pocketing, systemic health implications (such as diabetes or immunocompromise), or surgical needs. Typical non-surgical therapies include scaling and root planing (deep cleaning the root surfaces to remove plaque and calculus) and root-surface debridement (removing toxic or damaged tissue from the root surfaces).
The ultimate objectives of periodontal treatment are to eliminate harmful bacterial biofilm and calculus from periodontal sites, halt disease progression, regenerate or preserve periodontal attachment (where feasible), and maintain a healthy periodontal environment.