Gum treatment (curettage)

Gum diseases can be treated in different ways, depending on the severity of the condition and how a patient has responded to previous treatments.

Treatment of gingivitis

Gingivitis is an early-stage infection and inflammation of the gums. It is characterized by bleeding gums, without damage to the bone that supports the teeth.

Gingivitis can be treated with:

• Strict oral hygiene at home, including regular brushing and flossing at least once a day. Saltwater rinses or disinfectant mouthwashes (such as chlorhexidine, Listerine, etc.) may also be recommended.
• Professional dental cleaning, including scaling every six months to remove plaque and tartar.
• In some cases, the dentist may recommend brushing with a mixture of baking soda and peroxide. Because this paste is abrasive, it is advised not to scrub the gums and teeth aggressively.

Treatment of Periodontitis

Periodontitis is a more advanced gum infection. It presents not only with bleeding gums, but also with slightly or severely loose teeth, bad breath, and periodontal pockets (deep spaces between the tooth and the gum).

Periodontitis can be treated with:

• Scaling and root planing (curettage), a non-surgical deep cleaning procedure performed under local anesthesia. Curettage removes tartar above and below the gum line, while root planing smooths the tooth surface, eliminating bacterial debris and diseased tissue.

• Gentle periodontal therapy, a procedure similar to curettage, but preceded by a period of gum disinfection using antibiotic creams and/or mouth rinses. Antibiotic treatment makes tartar easier to detect and remove, allowing the curettage to be less invasive.
• Open flap curettage, a surgical procedure that involves opening the gum tissue before performing curettage, then closing it with sutures and dressings. In some cases, an antibacterial agent is applied during healing. This procedure is recommended only when periodontitis is very advanced or when non-surgical treatments have failed. Open curettage may be performed by a dentist or a gum specialist (periodontist).