Non-Surgical Gum Therapy

Often patients who have been diagnosed with mild to moderate periodontal (gum) disease, having a regular 6 monthly check-up / clean will not be enough to manage this condition.

The best solution is non-surgical gum therapy, which remains one of our most effective treatments for patients suffering from gum disease.

The disease often starts between the teeth where cleaning is more difficult. Bacteria can multiply and spread between teeth and gums. If left untreated periodontal disease can damage the root attachments and supporting structures of the teeth.

Be warned gum disease is a “silent disease” and painless until it is almost too late to save your teeth.
If left untreated, gums disease can cause bad breath, swollen bleeding gums and eventually tooth loss. In fact gum disease is the major reason for adult tooth loss.

Fortunately if the gum disease is treated early enough then it can be cured and your gums will return to a healthy condition.

The overall aim of non-surgical gum treatment is to create a clean and healthy environment in the mouth which can assist the healing process of gum tissues

The process involves 2 parts:

➔ This process involves removing plaque and calculus (build-up / tartar) in the infected gum pockets around the tooth and smoothing the root surfaces. This process assists in eliminating infection-causing bacteria beneath the gum line.

➔ The plaque and calculus (build-up / tartar) can be manually removed by the dentist or oral health therapist using two methods.

➔ Method 1: Our dentist or oral health therapist will first use an ultrasonic scaler and clean lightly over the tooth surface. This will remove the large amount of the build-up / tartar

➔ Method 2: Then they will swap to manual techniques by using various hand scaling instruments to “mechanically scrape” away the stubborn plaque and calculus in the infected gum pockets and along the gum line.

➔ This process has been proven to be extremely effective in managing gum disease and it is an essential step towards curing gum disease.

➔ Non-surgical periodontal therapy at Me Dental Care is usually pain-free and often requires 3-4 visits.

➔ Following scaling and root cleaning, once all plaque and calculus has been removed, our dentist or oral health therapist will administer a full mouth disinfection. The use of this disinfectant will aid in the prevention of bacterial growth. The disinfection is often be sufficient if your gum disease condition is in its early stage.

➔ If your gum disease condition is more advanced then in addition to the non-surgical treatments, our dentists may also prescribe antibiotics to help cure and manage the gum infection

➔ As well as the treatment provided at the clinic, you must understand that you play a key role in the management and cure of gum disease.

➔ This often means changes in attitude and cleaning techniques to achieve high standards of home care oral hygiene. The primary consideration for you is the general removal and control of plaque by tooth brushing and flossing.

If you are worried about your gum bleeding when brushing / flossing, or perhaps you experience bad breath / taste, or you are simply worried about your gum health… Me Dental Care is ready to assist you. Please contact our Patient Coordinator to book an appointment, or call (03) 7032-3968  during business hours.

The following information is important for proper healing during and after your periodontal treatment. Please follow these instructions to get maximum results. We suggest that you follow this order:

1. Brush at least twice daily
2. Floss once daily
3. If recommended use the Proxabrush, picksters as instructed.
4. If prescribed for you, use your mouthrinse as instructed.
5. Return for your periodontal reevaluation on your recommended schedule. Our goal is to prevent the progression of your periodontal disease and enable you to keep your teeth for your entire life!

Following scaling and root planing (gum therapy), your gums may still have a tendency to bleed for several weeks. As the periodontal disease is treated and the pockets heal you will notice the gums will feel tighter around the teeth and will not bleed as easily as they once did. Good news, your periodontal disease is getting better!

Discomfort or pain should be mild and should subside in a few hours to one day. You may notice a slight throbbing or aching after the anesthetic wears off.

You may notice that your teeth are sensitive to temperature changes and/or sweets. This usually diminishes after the first several days. If the sensitivity persists, use a desensitizing toothpaste such as Sensodyne.