Bleeding gums are awarning, not normal.
Gum disease is the leading cause of adult tooth loss and it's usually painless until it's advanced. We measure, treat, and then keep it stable — without surgery in most cases.
- Non-surgical first
- Measured every visit
- Linked to heart health
How it works.
Measure every pocket
Six readings per tooth tell us exactly where you stand.
Deep clean below the gumline
Scaling and root planing removes what brushing can't reach.
Recheck in six weeks
We confirm the numbers actually improved.
Maintain every 3–4 months
Shorter intervals are what keep it from coming back.
The signs almost everyone talks themselves out of
Gum disease is quiet, which is why it is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults. There is rarely pain until very late. Instead there are small signals that are easy to explain away.
Blood in the sink when you brush. This is the one people normalize the fastest. Healthy gums do not bleed when you brush them, any more than healthy skin bleeds when you wash it. Bleeding means inflammation, and inflammation means something is living below the gumline.
Bad breath that comes back an hour after brushing. Mouthwash treats the smell. The bacteria in a deep pocket produce it continuously.
Teeth that look longer. Gums recede as the supporting bone is lost. You may notice more sensitivity to cold, or a notch where the root is exposed.
A tooth that moves. By the time you can feel a molar shift under your tongue, a significant amount of bone is already gone. This is the point where we are trying to save teeth rather than prevent problems.
Tender or puffy gums, a change in how your bite comes together, and a partial denture that no longer fits belong on the list too.
Gingivitis and periodontitis are not the same problem
Gingivitis is inflammation of the gum tissue only. The gums are red, puffy, and they bleed, but the bone holding your teeth is untouched. This stage is reversible. A thorough cleaning plus consistent home care will usually return the tissue to health within a few weeks.
Periodontitis is what gingivitis becomes when it is left alone. The inflammation moves below the gumline, bacteria colonize the space between tooth and gum, and the body begins losing the bone around the root. That bone does not grow back on its own. Treatment at this stage is about stopping the loss and holding the ground you have.
The measurement that separates them is pocket depth. Your hygienist reads out numbers during your cleaning for a reason. One to three millimeters is healthy. Four is a warning. Five and above generally means periodontitis, and the deeper the pocket, the harder it is for you to clean at home.
Scaling and root planing, and what maintenance means afterward
Scaling and root planing is the standard treatment, sometimes called a deep cleaning. It is not the same as a regular cleaning and it is not upselling. A routine cleaning addresses the crown of the tooth. Scaling and root planing goes below the gumline, removes the hardened deposits from the root surface, and smooths the root so the tissue can reattach instead of pocketing again.
We numb the area, so it is comfortable, and we typically do it in two visits, half your mouth at a time. Expect some tenderness for a couple of days and some cold sensitivity as inflamed tissue tightens back down against the root.
Then maintenance. This is the part that decides whether the treatment worked. Once you have had periodontal disease, the bacteria that caused it stay in your mouth, and pockets refill on a predictable schedule. Periodontal maintenance cleanings at three or four month intervals, instead of six, are what keep it from coming back. We re-measure your pockets each time so you can see whether you are holding steady.
Most patients do hold steady. Results vary, and how you clean at home between visits matters as much as anything we do in the chair.
Gum health, your body, and why implants wait
Research has found associations between periodontal disease and several systemic conditions, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The relationship appears to run both ways with diabetes: poorly controlled blood sugar may make gum disease harder to control, and active gum inflammation may make blood sugar harder to manage.
We want to be careful with that. An association is not proof of cause, and treating your gums is not a treatment for heart disease. What we can say honestly is that your mouth is not a separate system from the rest of you.
One practical consequence. If you are considering dental implants, active gum disease has to be treated first. Implants can be lost to the same inflammatory process that takes natural teeth, and no one wants to invest in an implant that sits in unhealthy tissue. We treat the periodontal problem, confirm it is stable, and then plan the implant. It adds time. It also protects the result.
What treatment costs
Scaling and root planing is quoted by quadrant at our Fort Smith office, and periodontal maintenance visits run $169 to $174. You get the full number in writing before treatment starts.
Most dental plans cover periodontal treatment, though they often set frequency limits on maintenance cleanings that we will check for you. Smile Savers members receive 20 percent off comprehensive treatment, and CareCredit and Cherry are available.
What it costs.
Scaling and root planing is quoted per quadrant. Most PPO plans cover periodontal treatment, and many allow more frequent cleanings once you're diagnosed.
- Priced per quadrant treated
- Maintenance cleanings every 3–4 months
- Membership includes maintenance visits
What patients say.
4.9 out of 5 across 1,139 Google reviews at our two offices.
Common questions.
Is a deep cleaning painful?
We numb the area first, so the procedure itself is comfortable for nearly everyone. Afterward expect tenderness for a day or two and cold sensitivity for a week or so as the tissue tightens back against your roots. Over-the-counter pain relief handles it for most patients. If anxiety is the obstacle, ask about nitrous oxide when you schedule.
Can gum disease be cured?
Gingivitis can be fully reversed. Periodontitis can be stopped and controlled, but the bone that has already been lost does not come back on its own. That is why catching it early matters so much, and why maintenance visits are not optional once you have been treated.
Why do I need cleanings every three months instead of six?
Because the bacteria in periodontal pockets repopulate in roughly that window. Six-month intervals are built around healthy gums. Once pockets have formed, three to four months is what the research supports for keeping them from deepening again. We re-measure at each visit and will move you back to six months if your numbers hold.
My gums bleed but nothing hurts. Is that really a problem?
Yes. Bleeding without pain is the classic presentation of early gum disease, and pain usually does not arrive until significant damage is done. Bleeding is the signal you get instead. It is worth an exam.
Will I lose teeth?
Not necessarily, and not usually if we catch it before pockets get deep. Teeth that are already loose from bone loss have a poorer outlook, and sometimes an extraction with a plan to replace the tooth is the better path. We will be straight with you about which teeth are stable and which are questionable rather than treating something we cannot save.
Request your appointment.
Four questions. Our care team calls you back within one business day. If you are in pain right now, call the office directly and we will get you seen.