When you have gum disease, the sooner you get dental treatment done for your condition, the better. Healthy gums are responsible for healthy teeth, and having your gum disease treated now will help preserve your gum tissue and teeth against future decay.

What can you expect from your dental treatment when you have gum disease? Often referred to as periodontal treatment, you should be prepared by knowing what to expect. This type of cleaning differs from that of traditional dental treatment, so you need to prepare yourself properly.

Expect a longer dental visit

When you get dental treatment for periodontal disease, expect your treatment to last longer than a traditional cleaning. This is because you're going to get a deeper clean done on your teeth, which includes cleaning out the pockets in your gum tissue, removing plaque and tartar from your teeth deep into your gum line, and doing scaling and planing.

The intensive cleaning done in a periodontal cleaning can be time-intensive so you might have to have the treatment done in multiple visits. For example, your dentist may recommend cleaning the upper quadrant of your teeth in one visit, saving the bottom set of teeth and gums for another visit.

Expect more potential discomfort

Getting a deeper dental cleaning with a periodontal treatment may mean that you have a more uncomfortable experience ahead of you. Speak to your dentist about getting numbing medication prior to having dental work done to make the deeper scaling and planing treatments easier for you, or ask if taking over-the-counter pain medications prior to treatment are OK.

Your dentist will check with you periodically during your periodontal cleaning to ensure you are as comfortable as possible throughout your visit. If you choose to have the entire cleaning done in one visit, you can ask for small breaks in between cleaning sections if your jaw starts to get stiff or you are growing more uncomfortable.

Expect more dental costs

Periodontal cleaning is different than traditional cleaning and costs more as well. Expect to pay anywhere between a thousand to three thousand dollars for the treatment, depending on how severely impacted your gums are and how much treatment you need for your gum pockets. Your dental insurance can pay for some of these costs, particularly if the periodontal dental treatment is done to help prevent future tooth decay and gum disease.

A healthy smile is dependent on healthy gums. Having regular dental cleanings can make your gums and teeth healthier. Contact a dentist for more information regarding dental treatment.