Periodontal Therapy & Deep Cleanings — Futch Dental
Bleeding gums, swollen gums, persistent bad breath, gum recession, and loose teeth can all be warning signs of periodontal disease. The good news: gum disease is treatable, and the earlier it's caught, the simpler and more effective the treatment. At Futch Dental, we provide comprehensive periodontal therapy—including scaling and root planing, laser gum treatment, and ongoing periodontal maintenance—to help protect your teeth, gums, and long-term oral health.
Schedule Your Periodontal Evaluation
Periodontal disease—commonly called gum disease—is a chronic infection and inflammation of the gums and the supporting tissues that hold your teeth in place. It's caused by the buildup of bacterial plaque that hardens into tartar, triggering an immune response that gradually damages gum tissue and, in advanced stages, the underlying bone.
Gingivitis is the mildest form of gum disease. Gums may appear red, swollen, or tender, and they may bleed when you brush or floss. At this stage, no permanent damage has occurred—gingivitis is often reversible with professional cleaning and improved home care.
If gingivitis is left untreated, it can progress to periodontitis. The infection moves deeper, causing the gums to pull away from the teeth and form pockets that trap bacteria. Over time, the bone and connective tissue that support the teeth begin to break down—eventually leading to loose teeth, shifting, and eventual tooth loss. Once periodontitis develops, it requires ongoing professional management to control.
Gum disease is often painless in its early stages, which is why many patients don't realize they have it. Watch for these warning signs:
If any of these symptoms sound familiar, don't wait. Early diagnosis makes treatment simpler and more effective.
A thorough periodontal evaluation is the foundation of effective treatment. At Futch Dental, your exam includes:
This comprehensive assessment allows Dr. Futch and our hygiene team to determine the stage and severity of your condition and build a treatment plan tailored to your specific needs.
The right treatment depends on the severity of your gum disease, the depth of your periodontal pockets, the extent of bone loss, and your overall health. Futch Dental offers a range of proven therapies:
Scaling and root planing is the cornerstone of non-surgical periodontal treatment. Scaling removes plaque and hardened tartar from the tooth surfaces and from within the periodontal pockets below the gumline. Root planing smooths the root surfaces so the gum tissue can heal and reattach more effectively. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia for your comfort and is typically completed in two to four visits, depending on the extent of disease.
Futch Dental uses advanced dental laser technology to precisely target and remove infected gum tissue and bacteria without the need for traditional surgery. Laser therapy is minimally invasive, causes less discomfort than conventional approaches, and promotes faster healing. The laser selectively eliminates diseased tissue while preserving healthy gum structure and encouraging natural reattachment of the gums to the tooth roots.
Periodontal disease is a chronic condition—once it's been treated, it requires ongoing management to keep it under control. That's where periodontal maintenance comes in. Unlike a standard preventive cleaning, periodontal maintenance is a specialized cleaning visit designed to monitor and manage gum disease on an ongoing basis.
During each maintenance visit, our hygiene team performs a thorough cleaning above and below the gumline, measures pocket depths, checks for bleeding and inflammation, evaluates bone levels, and reviews your home care routine. These visits are typically recommended every three months—more frequently than standard cleanings—because the deeper pockets and higher bacterial risk associated with periodontal disease require closer monitoring.
If your gums are currently healthy and you're looking for information about routine preventive cleanings, visit our Dental Hygiene & Preventive Care page.
Periodontal disease is not just a dental problem—it's a chronic inflammatory condition that can affect your overall health. Research has identified links between gum disease and a number of systemic conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, respiratory illness, and pregnancy complications. While gum disease treatment alone doesn't prevent these conditions, managing the chronic infection and inflammation in your mouth is an important part of supporting your whole-body wellness.
Patients with diabetes face a particularly important connection: gum disease can make it harder to control blood sugar, and uncontrolled diabetes can make gum disease worse. If you have diabetes or other chronic health concerns, careful periodontal care is especially important.
The most common early warning signs are bleeding gums when brushing or flossing, red or swollen gums, persistent bad breath, and gum tenderness. Many patients experience no pain at first, which is why regular dental evaluations are so important.
Gingivitis—the earliest stage—can often be reversed with professional treatment and improved home care. Once it progresses to periodontitis, the disease can be managed and controlled, but the deeper tissue and bone damage may not fully reverse. That's why early treatment matters.
Scaling and root planing is a deep cleaning procedure that removes plaque and tartar from above and below the gumline and smooths the tooth root surfaces. This helps the gums heal and reattach, reducing pocket depths and controlling infection.
The procedure is performed under local anesthesia, so you should feel no pain during treatment. Afterward, your gums may feel tender or sensitive for a few days, but this resolves as the tissue heals.
After gum disease treatment, the deeper pockets and higher bacterial risk in your mouth require more frequent, more thorough professional care than a standard preventive cleaning provides. Periodontal maintenance visits—typically every three months—help keep the disease controlled and prevent recurrence.
Yes. Advanced periodontal disease destroys the bone and connective tissue that hold your teeth in place. Without treatment, this can lead to loose teeth and eventual tooth loss. Treating gum disease early is the best way to protect your teeth long-term.
Yes. Persistent bad breath is one of the most common symptoms of periodontal disease. It's caused by bacteria, plaque, tartar, and infection deep in the gum pockets—areas that brushing and mouthwash alone can't reach.
Gum disease is common, often painless at first, and highly treatable—but ignoring it can lead to infection, bone loss, loose teeth, and tooth loss. If you're noticing any warning signs, or if it's been a while since your last periodontal evaluation, now is the time to act. Dr. Futch and the team at Futch Dental will evaluate your gum health, explain your options clearly, and help you take control of the situation. Call our Reno dental office today at (775) 746-1177 or click below to schedule your periodontal evaluation.
