Daily brushing, flossing, and frequent professional treatments can reduce the chance of gum disease. Your regular checkup will include an assessment of the health of your gums. Dr. Magid, DDS, FICD, uses a periodontal probe to measure the depth of the pocket between your gums and teeth. He inserts the probe until he feels a slight resistance. He does this at many sites inside your mouth.

A depth of about 1/8th of an inch indicates healthy gums, but if the probe goes beyond this, it means a pocket has formed between your tooth and gum. The deeper the pocket is the more serious the stage of gum disease.

If the disease isn’t too advanced, our hygienist may provide scaling to remove tartar and bacteria from the surface of your teeth and beneath your gums. This can be done with a non-surgical ultrasonic device. She may also perform root planing to smooth the root surfaces. Sometimes it may be necessary for Dr. Magid, DDS, FICD, to prescribe antibiotics. However, if the gum disease is very advanced, surgery may be necessary.