Gum Disease Treatment
Gum disease is not simply “dirty teeth.” It is an inflammatory disease affecting the tissues that support the teeth. Gingivitis involves inflamed gums without the supporting-bone loss associated with periodontitis. Once periodontitis develops, treatment and maintenance need to address disease below the gumline and the structures supporting the teeth.
One of the most important decisions is determining whether you need routine preventive cleaning or periodontal treatment. That distinction should come from a periodontal evaluation—not from bleeding alone or from how long it has been since your last dental visit.
Signs That Your Gums Need Evaluation
- Gums that bleed during brushing, flossing, or professional care.
- Persistent redness, swelling, or tenderness.
- Gum recession or teeth that appear longer than before.
- Persistent bad breath or an unpleasant taste.
- Changes in tooth position, mobility, or bite.
- Periodontal pockets or bone loss identified during an examination.
How Is Gum Disease Diagnosed?
A periodontal evaluation looks at more than whether the gums bleed. The dental team measures spaces around the teeth, evaluates inflammation and recession, assesses plaque and calculus, checks mobility when relevant, and reviews appropriate images for changes in supporting bone.
Medical history, tobacco exposure, medications, previous periodontal treatment, and home-care challenges can also affect risk and planning.
Gingivitis vs. Periodontitis
Gingivitis is gum inflammation without the attachment and bone loss that defines periodontitis. Improving plaque control and professional preventive care may allow gingivitis to resolve.
Periodontitis involves loss of the tissues supporting the teeth. It may require treatment below the gumline, ongoing periodontal maintenance, and in selected cases surgical periodontal care.
Routine Cleaning vs. Scaling and Root Planing
A routine cleaning is preventive care for a patient who does not require active periodontal therapy. Scaling and root planing is nonsurgical treatment for selected patients with periodontitis. It focuses on deposits below the gumline and root surfaces.
Calling both procedures a “cleaning” can hide an important clinical difference. Periodontal measurements, bone levels, inflammation, and deposit location should guide the recommendation.
What Can Gum Disease Treatment Include?
- Improved daily plaque control tailored to difficult areas.
- Professional removal of deposits according to the periodontal diagnosis.
- Scaling and root planing when nonsurgical therapy is indicated.
- Re-evaluation after treatment to determine tissue response.
- Periodontal maintenance at an interval based on disease history and stability.
- Referral or periodontal surgery when disease or tissue defects require treatment beyond nonsurgical care.
Why Periodontal Maintenance Is Different
After periodontitis has been treated, the goal shifts to controlling a chronic disease and reducing the risk of progression. Periodontal maintenance addresses the history and sites of periodontal disease rather than treating the patient as though they had only routine preventive needs.
The maintenance interval should be individualized according to disease severity, response to treatment, home care, risk factors, and stability.
Gum Disease Treatment in Eden Prairie and Lakeville
Moss Dental Studio provides care from two Minnesota offices. Choose the location that works best for you when scheduling:
- Eden Prairie: 800 Prairie Center Dr, Suite 250, Eden Prairie, MN 55344 — call (952) 974-5116
- Lakeville: 18389 Orchard Trail, Lakeville, MN 55044 — call (612) 312-0087
For maps and office information, view the Moss Dental Studio locations or contact the dental team.
Questions Patients Ask
Can gum disease go away on its own?
Gingival inflammation may improve when its causes are addressed, but established periodontitis with attachment and bone loss requires professional diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing management.
Does bleeding when I floss mean I have gum disease?
Bleeding can be a sign of inflammation, but it does not establish the diagnosis by itself. Periodontal measurements and other findings are needed.
Is deep cleaning the same as a regular cleaning?
No. Scaling and root planing treats selected cases of periodontal disease below the gumline; routine cleaning is preventive care.
Can gum disease cause tooth loss?
Advanced periodontitis can damage the bone and attachment supporting teeth, which can lead to mobility and tooth loss. Severity varies, so early evaluation matters.
How often will I need periodontal maintenance?
There is no universal interval. Disease history, treatment response, risk factors, home care, and current stability should guide the schedule.
Bleeding or Receding Gums? Find Out What Level of Care You Need.
Bleeding, tenderness, recession, or persistent bad breath does not tell you whether you need a routine cleaning or periodontal treatment. The diagnosis comes from evaluating the gums and supporting structures.
Schedule a periodontal evaluation so Moss Dental Studio can determine what is happening below the gumline and explain the treatment and maintenance plan appropriate for your condition.
Eden Prairie: 800 Prairie Center Dr, Suite 250 — Call (952) 974-5116
Lakeville: 18389 Orchard Trail — Call (612) 312-0087