Dental knowledge: cleaning periodontal pockets

Periodontal pockets have to be cleaned with great care.

Inflamed gums – recognisable by redness and swelling – lead to troublesome bleeding and unpleasant breath, and later to the formation of periodontal pockets. Bacteria collect in these pockets and can ultimately cause periodontitis, an inflammatory disease of the gums and the tooth-supporting structures.

Particular attention is therefore paid to the periodontal pockets during professional tooth cleaning. They have to be cleaned with great care. As part of that cleaning they are rinsed with an antibacterial solution, which reduces the number of germs in the mouth.

The pockets are cleaned with ultrasonic and hand instruments. This encourages the natural healing process so that the pockets can close again. Handling hand and ultrasonic instruments calls for special knowledge and experience.

Answered briefly

Frequently asked questions

How do I recognise that my gums are inflamed?

Inflamed gums show themselves through redness and swelling. Added to that are troublesome bleeding gums and unpleasant bad breath, and later gum pockets form. Bacteria collect in these pockets and can ultimately lead to periodontitis.

What is periodontitis?

Periodontitis is understood to be an inflammatory disease of the gums and the tooth-supporting structures. It can arise from bacteria that collect in gum pockets. It is usually preceded by inflamed gums with redness, swelling and bleeding.

How are gum pockets cleaned during a tooth cleaning?

The pockets are rinsed out with an antibacterial rinsing solution, which reduces the number of germs in the mouth, and cleaned with ultrasonic and hand instruments. That promotes the natural healing process, so that the gum pockets can close again. Handling these instruments requires special knowledge and experience.