Gum treatment is any dental procedure designed to stop or reverse gum disease, a condition where bacteria below the gumline damage the soft tissue and bone that hold your teeth in place. Treatment ranges from a deep cleaning at your dentist’s office to surgical procedures for advanced cases. The specific approach depends on how far the disease has progressed, measured largely by the depth of the pockets between your gums and teeth.
How Gum Disease Gets Diagnosed
Healthy gums fit snugly around your teeth, forming a small gap (called a sulcus) that measures 1 to 3 millimeters deep. Your dentist checks these measurements by gently sliding a thin probe between each tooth and the surrounding gum. Pockets deeper than 3 mm indicate gum disease. Pockets beyond 5 mm often require more intensive treatment because a toothbrush or floss simply can’t reach that far down.
The earliest stage, gingivitis, shows up as gums that bleed when gently probed or when you brush. At this point, no bone has been lost, and the damage is fully reversible. Once bone loss begins, the condition becomes periodontitis, graded by severity: mild (1 to 2 mm of attachment loss), moderate (3 to 4 mm), or severe (more than 5 mm). Your dentist uses these measurements along with X-rays to decide which level of treatment you need.
Deep Cleaning: Scaling and Root Planing
The most common gum treatment is scaling and root planing, often called a “deep cleaning.” It’s the first-line approach for most people diagnosed with gum disease, and it’s the only way to remove plaque and bacteria that have built up deep under your gums.
The procedure has two parts. First, your dentist or hygienist numbs the area with local anesthesia, then uses hand instruments or ultrasonic tools to scrape away plaque and hardened tartar from both above and below the gumline. That’s the scaling portion. Next comes root planing, where they smooth the root surfaces of your teeth. Rough roots give bacteria a place to cling, so smoothing them helps your gums reattach more tightly to the tooth.
Most people have this done in two visits, one side of the mouth at a time, though it can sometimes be completed in a single appointment. Beyond treating the disease itself, scaling and root planing eliminates the bacteria responsible for persistent bad breath.
Medication Placed in Pockets
In some cases, your dentist will place a small amount of antimicrobial material directly into a deep pocket after cleaning it. These are tiny doses of germ-fighting agents embedded in a slow-dissolving carrier, so the medication stays active right where the infection is for days or weeks. This targeted approach can help stubborn pockets heal when deep cleaning alone isn’t enough.
Surgical Options for Advanced Disease
When pockets remain deep after scaling and root planing, or when bone damage is significant, surgery becomes necessary. The two main approaches are traditional flap surgery and a newer laser-based procedure.
In flap surgery, the dentist or periodontist numbs the area, then gently lifts the gum tissue away from the teeth to get direct access to the roots and bone underneath. They remove inflamed tissue, clean the roots thoroughly, and sometimes reshape the bone before stitching the gums back into place. This direct visibility makes it especially effective when heavy tartar deposits are present or when the bone needs recontouring. The tradeoff: expect several days of noticeable swelling, some bleeding, and discomfort. There’s also a higher chance of gum recession and tooth sensitivity afterward because more root surface gets exposed.
The laser alternative, known as LANAP (Laser-Assisted New Attachment Procedure), uses a specific type of laser inserted into the pocket to target diseased tissue and bacteria while leaving healthy tissue intact. No scalpel, no sutures. Recovery tends to involve less swelling, less bleeding, and fewer dietary restrictions compared to flap surgery. The goal is to reduce infection and encourage the gums to form a new attachment to the tooth. However, traditional surgery remains the better choice when defects require precise access or significant bone work.
What Recovery Looks Like
After a deep cleaning, the first 24 hours bring the most sensitivity and discomfort. Stick to soft foods like yogurt, mashed potatoes, and smoothies for the first several days. Use a soft-bristled toothbrush and be gentle around the treated areas, but don’t skip brushing or flossing.
During the first week, discomfort gradually fades and you may already notice less inflammation in your gums. By the end of the first month, significant healing should be visible, with swelling and sensitivity mostly gone. At that point, you can return to your normal diet. Surgical procedures follow a similar arc but the early days tend to be more uncomfortable, and your dentist may give you more specific restrictions on eating and activity.
Long-Term Results and Tooth Survival
Gum treatment works. A meta-analysis looking at tooth survival after periodontal treatment found that 89% of back teeth were still in place after 10 years, with premolars surviving at an even higher rate of 95% compared to 85% for molars. These numbers assume you keep up with ongoing care, which is a critical part of the equation.
Beyond saving teeth, treating gum disease lowers inflammation throughout your body. Periodontal treatment has been shown to reduce levels of systemic inflammatory markers, particularly in patients with diabetes. The connection between gum disease and cardiovascular risk is an active area of study. Animal research has demonstrated that untreated gum infections raise blood levels of C-reactive protein (a marker of inflammation) and cause measurable changes in heart tissue.
Maintenance After Treatment
Once you’ve had gum treatment, your dental visits change. A standard cleaning (prophylaxis) is a preventive procedure designed for people with healthy gums. After periodontal treatment, you’ll need periodontal maintenance appointments instead. These visits look similar on the surface: your hygienist updates your medical history, checks your oral hygiene, scales and polishes your teeth, and gives you home-care guidance. But the focus shifts from prevention to actively managing a chronic condition. Your hygienist is monitoring pocket depths, checking for new bone loss, and cleaning areas that are prone to reinfection.
Most periodontists recommend these maintenance visits every three to four months rather than the typical six-month schedule for healthy patients. This frequency may continue indefinitely. Skipping or stretching out these appointments is one of the most common reasons people lose ground after successful treatment. The disease doesn’t go away on its own, and pockets that were brought under control can deepen again without consistent professional care and solid daily brushing and flossing habits at home.