HOW CAN I TREAT IT?
Start by having your dental professional remove the bacterial "intruders"
Dental professionals commonly treat periodontal disease with a mechanical procedure known as scaling and root planing (SRP). Scaling removes plaque, tartar, and stains from the surface of teeth. Planing smoothes the rough areas on the roots of teeth to promote healing.
Bacteria that hide at the bottom of pockets can be difficult to remove
While SRP has been shown to effectively remove many of the bacteria that cause infection, the instruments used during SRP sometimes can't reach the stubborn bacteria below the gum line and in the bottom of pockets that can cause the infection to return and spread.
Fight the infection with a locally administered antibiotic (LAA)
Periodontal disease is a chronic bacterial infection and, as with any infection, treatment with an antibiotic is common. Dental professionals often add an LAA directly to the site of infection where bacteria hide. Many dental professionals choose to add an LAA because:
- LAAs can help reduce the bacteria that SRP can leave behind
- Antibiotics treat infections in the body and periodontal disease is a chronic bacterial infection
- Clinical studies prove that SRP is more effective at reducing the harmful effects of periodontal disease when LAAs are added
- These effective treatments can reduce harmful bacteria before infection spreads and gum disease worsens
Now that you understand how you can treat a periodontal infection, learn how you can keep it away.