Nearly half of adults over 30 show signs of gum disease, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults, yet it is largely preventable with regular care and early attention. At Po Dentistry, we focus on practical, science-based periodontal care that helps patients preserve healthy gums and lasting smiles.
Periodontal disease refers to a group of inflammatory conditions that damage the periodontium — the gums, connective tissues, and bone that anchor your teeth. The driving force behind these conditions is bacterial plaque: sticky biofilm that builds up on tooth surfaces and along the gumline. When plaque isn’t removed, it hardens into tartar and provokes a chronic inflammatory response.
Early stages of gum disease are often subtle. Your gums may seem slightly redder, bleed occasionally, or feel tender during brushing. Because these symptoms can be mild or intermittent, many people underestimate the problem until more substantial damage has occurred. That’s why regular dental exams and cleanings are central to prevention.
Recognizing the early warning signs is an important first step in protecting your oral health. Staying informed about the condition and knowing when to consult a dental professional can make the difference between a routine cleaning and more extensive treatment down the line.
There are several telltale signals that warrant a prompt dental evaluation. Some people notice persistent bad breath or an unpleasant taste that doesn’t go away with routine brushing. Others experience gums that bleed when they floss or brush, or gums that appear swollen and dark rather than firm and pink.
Other symptoms include receding gums that expose root surfaces, increased tooth sensitivity, and teeth that feel loose or shifted. You may also observe new gaps appearing between teeth or a change in how a denture or partial fits — all signs that supportive tissues are changing.
If you notice any of these symptoms, it’s wise to schedule an assessment. Early detection gives us the best chance to control inflammation, protect supporting structures, and avoid more invasive procedures later on.
Gingivitis is the initial, reversible stage of gum disease. It occurs when plaque irritates the gum margin, causing redness, swelling, and bleeding. At this point the underlying bone and connective tissues remain intact, and improvements in daily hygiene plus professional cleanings typically resolve the inflammation.
When gingivitis is left unchecked, it can progress to periodontitis. At this stage, the inflammatory process advances beyond the gum margin and begins to break down the fibers and bone that support teeth. Pockets develop between teeth and gums, allowing bacteria to colonize deeper areas that are harder to clean.
Progression from gingivitis to periodontitis is variable and influenced by factors like smoking, systemic health conditions such as diabetes, genetic predisposition, and oral hygiene habits. That variability is why individualized assessment and a tailored care plan are essential.
Oral and systemic health are connected. Inflammation in the mouth can affect other systems in the body, and researchers have identified associations between periodontal disease and conditions such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and respiratory illness. While the exact relationships are the subject of ongoing study, keeping inflammation under control clearly supports overall well-being.
Healthy gums also preserve the structures that keep teeth stable, which matters for chewing, speaking, and the long-term function of the jaw. Preventing bone loss and avoiding tooth loss helps maintain facial structure and makes restorative options simpler and more predictable when they are needed.
For these reasons, periodontal care is treated as an integral component of comprehensive dental treatment rather than an isolated specialty. Addressing gum health early reduces the risk of cascading problems and leads to better outcomes across the mouth and body.
A thorough periodontal evaluation combines visual inspection, probing measurements, and diagnostic imaging when appropriate. Probing measures the depth of the gap between the gum and the tooth; deeper pockets typically indicate more advanced disease. Bite and mobility exams help determine how much support a tooth has retained.
Dental X-rays are used selectively to evaluate bone levels and detect areas of bone loss that aren’t visible during a clinical exam. Your medical history is also an important part of the assessment, since systemic conditions and certain medications can influence periodontal risk and treatment planning.
After a baseline assessment, regular monitoring — typically every three to six months depending on disease severity — allows clinicians to track progress and adjust care. Maintenance visits focus on removing new plaque and tartar, reinforcing home care strategies, and intervening early if disease activity resumes.
Periodontal treatment is individualized, and the chosen approach depends on disease stage, the amount of tissue and bone loss, and overall health factors. The primary goals are to eliminate infection, reduce pocket depths, halt tissue destruction, and restore function where possible. We favor conservative, evidence-based steps that protect your long-term oral health.
In many cases, the first-line approach involves non-surgical care combined with an improved home hygiene routine. When deeper treatment is necessary, surgical options and regenerative techniques are used to access and repair damaged tissues. Adjunctive therapies, including targeted antimicrobial treatments, can support mechanical cleaning efforts.
Open communication about treatment goals, expected outcomes, and maintenance needs helps patients make informed decisions. Po Dentistry emphasizes a thoughtful, team-based process so that each patient receives care aligned with their health priorities and daily life.
When gum disease is caught early or localized, non-surgical treatments are often highly effective. Scaling and root planing — a deeper cleaning that removes plaque and hardened tartar from under the gumline and smooths root surfaces — is the cornerstone of this care.
These procedures reduce the bacterial load and allow inflamed tissues to begin healing. In many cases, improved home care and short-term adjunctive antimicrobial therapies are enough to stabilize the condition and restore periodontal health.
Regular follow-up and periodontal maintenance are key to preventing recurrence. For patients with risk factors, more frequent professional cleanings and monitoring may be recommended to sustain health over time.
When pockets are very deep or when structural damage is present, surgical intervention may be the next step. Procedures such as flap surgery allow clinicians to gain direct access to root surfaces for thorough cleaning and to reshape damaged tissues to facilitate long-term maintenance.
Modern regenerative techniques, including bone and soft tissue grafts, aim to restore lost volume and improve support for teeth. When appropriate, laser-assisted procedures can complement conventional surgery by targeting diseased tissue with precision.
The overarching goal of surgical and regenerative care is to reestablish a healthy foundation for the teeth, reduce pocket depths, and make daily hygiene more effective — all measures that lower the likelihood of future disease progression.
If you would like to learn more about periodontal care tailored to your situation, please contact us for additional information. Our team is available to explain options, answer questions, and help you take the next step toward healthier gums and a more confident smile.
Most people don’t realize that periodontal disease is the leading cause of tooth loss among adults. According to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one out of every two adults over the age of 30 in the United States has periodontal disease.
You may be surprised to learn that the human mouth is home to a wide variety of microbes. The fact is that over 700 different strains of bacteria have been detected in the oral cavity. Although some of these bacteria are beneficial, others are harmful to oral health. Without proper oral hygiene and routine dental care, these harmful bacteria can cause tooth decay and gum disease, compromising both your oral health and overall wellbeing.
In addition to inadequate oral hygiene and infrequent professional care, other factors, including smoking, genetic tendencies, and unchecked diabetes, can contribute to the escalation of periodontal disease.
Your gums and teeth have an interdependent relationship, which means healthy teeth depend on the support of healthy gums. Also, taking care of your smile does more than keep your teeth and gums in optimal condition; good oral health also supports systemic health. In addition to being the leading cause of tooth loss in adults, researchers are finding more and more links between periodontal disease and a number of medical problems, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, respiratory problems, and adverse pregnancy outcomes such as pre-term and low birth-weight babies.
If you notice that your gums are bleeding with the slightest pressure while brushing or flossing, it’s a sign of gingivitis. Although gingivitis is the earliest stage of gum disease, it can easily be reversed with deeper cleanings as well as an improved regimen of oral hygiene at home.
In the absence of professional treatment and better home care, gingivitis progresses to the next stage, which is known as periodontitis. In this stage, the connective tissue and bone that hold the teeth in place begin to break down with an increase in pocketing between the teeth and bone, gum recession, and bone loss. Without proper treatment by your dentist, periodontitis will progress from a mild to moderate loss of supporting tissue to the destruction of the bone around the teeth.
Although gingivitis can often be reversed with improved oral hygiene and professional cleanings, as periodontal disease advances, more extensive procedures are required to halt its progression. Based on a complete assessment of your periodontal health and a review of possible contributing factors, our office will recommend the best options in care. Treatment for periodontitis may include a series of deeper cleanings known as root planing and scaling, surgical procedures to reduce pocket depth, bone or tissue grafts, laser procedures, or antimicrobial medications.
The cost of care depends on the type of procedures required to restore your periodontal health. If you have dental insurance, plans often cover treatment to prevent gum disease as well as many procedures to treat the various stages of gum disease. Our goal is to help patients restore and maintain good oral health. We do all we can to help you begin care without additional stress or delay. Our business office works with you to maximize your benefits and provide easier, more convenient payment options.
By seeing our office regularly for care and doing your best to eat a healthy diet and practice good oral hygiene, you can keep your smile in tip-top shape as well as protect your overall wellbeing.
At the office of Po Dentistry, we provide a comprehensive range of services to address all your oral healthcare needs. You can rest assured that your smile is in the best of hands at our office. Our skilled and experienced team maintains a position at the forefront of advances in care and remains dedicated to providing the highest quality of skilled and compassionate treatment.
Periodontal disease is an inflammatory condition that affects the gums and the supporting structures around the teeth, collectively called the periodontium. It begins when bacterial plaque and tartar irritate the gum tissue, triggering a chronic inflammatory response that can damage connective tissue and bone. Early-stage disease, or gingivitis, is reversible with proper care, while more advanced disease, called periodontitis, causes irreversible tissue and bone loss.
Because periodontal disease often progresses without obvious pain, regular dental evaluation is important to detect problems early. Left unmanaged, the condition can lead to tooth mobility and loss and may complicate other health conditions, making timely diagnosis and treatment essential to preserve oral function and overall health.
The primary cause of gum disease is the accumulation of bacterial plaque on tooth surfaces and along the gumline, which hardens into tartar if not removed. Contributing factors include tobacco use, poor oral hygiene, certain medications, hormonal changes, systemic conditions like diabetes, and genetic susceptibility. These factors can alter the mouth’s bacterial balance and the body’s response to infection, accelerating tissue breakdown.
Addressing underlying risk factors is an important component of periodontal care because it reduces the chance of recurrent disease. Effective treatment combines mechanical removal of plaque and tartar with personalized strategies to manage modifiable risks and support long-term gum health.
Common signs include red, swollen, or tender gums and bleeding during brushing or flossing, which often indicate inflammation. Additional symptoms may include gum recession that exposes tooth roots, persistent bad breath, increased tooth sensitivity, teeth that feel loose, and changes in how teeth fit together when you bite.
Because many of these changes develop gradually, patients should report any unusual gum bleeding, discomfort, or shifting of teeth to their dental provider promptly to allow for early assessment and treatment. Regular periodontal screenings during routine dental visits are important for detecting problems before significant damage occurs.
Diagnosis begins with a thorough clinical exam that includes measuring periodontal pocket depths with a periodontal probe, evaluating gum inflammation, and assessing gum recession and tooth mobility. Dental professionals often supplement the exam with dental X-rays to visualize bone levels around the teeth and to identify patterns of bone loss that inform the staging of disease.
An accurate diagnosis also considers medical history and risk factors such as diabetes or smoking that can influence treatment decisions and prognosis. Based on these findings, the dental team will explain the disease stage and recommend an individualized care plan to control infection and restore periodontal health.
Non-surgical treatments are typically the first line of care for managing periodontal disease and focus on removing bacterial deposits and reducing inflammation. Scaling and root planing, also called deep cleaning, removes plaque and tartar from below the gumline and smooths root surfaces to discourage bacterial reattachment, often combined with localized antimicrobial agents when appropriate.
Alongside in-office procedures, non-surgical care includes tailored oral hygiene instruction, risk factor modification, and a maintenance schedule of professional cleanings to monitor healing and prevent recurrence. For many patients, these conservative approaches effectively halt disease progression when paired with consistent home care.
Periodontal surgery is considered when non-surgical therapy does not sufficiently reduce pocket depths or control inflammation, especially in sites with deep pockets (often 5 mm or more), persistent infection, or significant bone loss. Surgical procedures allow the clinician to access root surfaces for thorough debridement, reshape or graft bone, and reduce pocket depths to make long-term cleaning and maintenance more effective.
Surgery may also be recommended to regenerate lost tissue when appropriate, or to correct anatomic issues that maintain pockets. The decision to proceed with surgery is based on a comprehensive evaluation of disease severity, overall oral health, patient preferences, and realistic expectations for healing and maintenance.
During periodontal surgery the clinician administers local anesthesia and gently repositions gum tissue to access and clean infected root surfaces and bone. Procedures can include flap surgery, bone grafting, or guided tissue regeneration, and may be performed with traditional surgical techniques or adjunctive laser therapy when indicated for specific clinical goals.
Postoperative recovery typically involves a short period of soreness and swelling controlled with prescribed or over-the-counter analgesics, cold packs, and specific post-op instructions for oral hygiene and diet. Follow-up visits are important to monitor healing, remove sutures if necessary, and reinforce home care to protect surgical results and support long-term periodontal stability.
Healthy gums and sufficient supporting bone are essential for the long-term success of dental implants, so controlling periodontal disease is a key step before implant placement. Active periodontal infection must be treated and stabilized to reduce the risk of implant complications, including peri-implantitis, which is an inflammatory condition that affects the tissues around implants.
In cases where bone has been lost, periodontal procedures such as bone grafting or guided tissue regeneration can rebuild the foundation needed for implant therapy. Close collaboration between the periodontal team and the implant clinician helps plan treatment sequencing to achieve predictable, lasting outcomes.
Prevention and long-term control rely on a combination of meticulous daily oral hygiene, regular professional cleanings, and management of personal risk factors such as smoking and uncontrolled diabetes. Brushing twice daily, cleaning between teeth daily with floss or interdental brushes, and using recommended antimicrobial rinses when advised are foundational habits for maintaining periodontal health.
Patients should also attend periodic periodontal maintenance appointments at intervals recommended by their clinician to remove any recurrent deposit and to monitor pocket depths and tissue response. Early detection of recurring inflammation allows for prompt, less invasive interventions and better preservation of tooth-supporting structures.
At your first periodontal evaluation the clinician will review your medical and dental history, perform a comprehensive oral exam including periodontal probing, and take radiographs if needed to assess bone levels. The visit is designed to determine the presence and severity of periodontal disease and to identify any contributing factors that will influence treatment planning.
If treatment is indicated, the clinician will explain the proposed approach, expected outcomes, and the maintenance steps required for long-term success. Patients seen at the office of Po Dentistry receive a personalized plan that emphasizes evidence-based therapies and clear instructions to support healing and prevent recurrence.
Our goal is to help every patient experience the benefits of good oral health and a beautiful smile. We value the trust you have placed in our office and strive to provide solutions that meet your dental needs and expectations of care.
