When discussing periodontal therapy, we really have to think about what the term means.  Obviously, we are talking about healing or improving the health of the periodontal tissue.  This is the tissue that surrounds and supports the teeth.  When this periodontum is damaged, the teeth can become loose and could even fall out.  That would be a tragedy.

There are two aspects to such therapy.  And you need both.  You need professional treatment from a periodontist (recommended).  But you also need better home care.   Ask any competent dental professional and they will agree that what you do at home is going to be the major factor in determining if and how often you end up in the chair for expensive periodontal treatments.

However, you should be aware and understand that most of us do not have the knowledge to really know what to do at home.  Sure, everyone knows about brushing and flossing.  But let’s ‘get real’!  If they worked for the majority of people then you wouldn’t have dental organizations making statements like:  ” Up to 80% of the population is suffering from some form of gum disease”.  Most people I know do brush and floss and unfortunately most of them either have or will have some form of gum disease in their mouth.

Many people view this as an aging problem.  Wrong again!  Even a 6-year old can have gum disease issues.  The reality is that the damage accumulates over time and unfortunately, it may not come  to your attention until it is time for a costly treatment, pain and unpleasantness.

So, what other things can possibly help you?

1. Chew xylitol gum  – and not just any gum that says it has xylitol. The standard understanding is that you want more or less pure xylitol and .72 grams per piece.  Just because a gum has xylitol listed as one of the ingredients does not mean that you are going to get any benefit from it -particularly when the amount is small!

2.  Use an oral irrigator.  I like the Hydro Floss! I was able to avoid a Scaling and Root Planing (SRP) by using the Hydro Floss.

3. Use pH balanced mouthwash, such as Perio Therapy.

These are three simple things can potentially help your dental health improve and possibly allow you to escape more expensive periodontal treatments.

To read more about this topic get the book: What You Should Know about Gum Disease, also available at Amazon.