Practicing good dental hygiene is the first step in maintaining a healthy mouth and preserving a confident smile. Yet, even with dedicated daily brushing and flossing, periodontal disease can still happen.

Every year, millions of patients receive a periodontal disease diagnosis, and if left untreated, it can eventually lead to bone and tooth loss. So, what can be done to alleviate the damage it causes and get you back to a healthy mouth? While surgical and less invasive treatments are available, talking with your dentist is the first step in finding which one will work best for you and which treatments you are a good candidate for receiving.

Perio Protect is one such treatment, serving as a non-invasive treatment that can be used alone or following surgery. Not everyone, however, can be a good candidate for Perio Protect, but those who are can benefit greatly.

What Exactly Is Perio Protect?

Perio Protect is a specially designed, at-home treatment system for alleviating gum disease. The painless treatment consists of the use of customized mouth trays for applying medication directly to the gum line to help fight bacteria.

While Perio Protect can potentially reduce the need for surgery, there are still patients who may need both. Perio Protect, following surgery, can help prevent the disease from recurring.

Am I A Good Candidate for Perio Protect?

Not all dental treatments are suitable for patients suffering with periodontal disease, so it helps to know what makes a good candidate for Perio Protect. It all begins with an exam and diagnosis by a trusted dentist.

Good candidates for Perio Protect include the following.

You Received a Diagnosis of Periodontal Disease

Good candidates for Perio Protect are those patients newly diagnosed with periodontal disease or already receiving treatment.

Periodontal disease, a gum disease, is an oral health condition where an infection caused by bacteria develops at the base of your teeth. Small pockets visibly form between the teeth and gums, and bacteria finds its way into these pockets and progresses the disease. Once under the gum line, the irritation causes the gums to pull away from teeth.

The milder form of gum disease is known as gingivitis, and a more advanced form is periodontitis. Common symptoms include:

• Swollen or bleeding gums
• Teeth sensitivity
• Gaps between teeth
• Halitosis (bad breath)

Without treatment, the bacteria continue to grow below the gum line and can lead to tooth and bone loss. It can also put unknowing patients at a higher risk for developing such serious medical conditions as stroke, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, Rheumatoid arthritis, and many others.

Perio Protect is not a preventive measure to keep patients from getting gum disease. Instead, it was created for those already experiencing it.

You Have Undergone Scaling and Root Planing Procedures

Brushing and flossing alone won’t address the problem, but periodic deep cleanings by your dentist can help. You may, however, eventually need a surgery called scaling and root planing. Afterward, your dentist may recommend Perio Protect treatments.

You Already Practice Good Dental Hygiene

Good candidates remain diligent about their oral health, practicing good dental hygiene by brushing and flossing daily. If a patient lacks a committed oral healthcare routine, dentists may be hesitant to provide them with the Perio Protect option.

The reason for this is that it is essential that patients follow the instructions for using the at-home treatment. If you already practice good dental hygiene, it shows your commitment to achieving optimal oral health and that you will continue with treatment.

What constitutes good dental hygiene?

• Brushing twice per day, or more
• Flossing once a day
• Regularly scheduled dental cleanings and exams

Other Factors to Make You a Good Candidate

Your dentist will determine if you are a good candidate for Perio Protect by looking at how far along your gum disease is and asking about your health history. Occasionally, a pre-existing medical condition may exclude you from using Perio Protect.

How Does Perio Protect Work?

Perio Protect treats periodontal disease by delivering consistent amounts of the bacteria-fighting medicine to your gums with the use of periodontal trays.

The medication itself is distributed inside the tray at specific points. These customized trays then seal up against your gums, pushing the medication into the formed pockets along the gum line.

I’m a Good Candidate, Now What?

Once your dentist identifies you as a good candidate for Perio Protect, impressions are taken, which are then forwarded to a lab to make the custom trays specifically for you.

The benefits of these periodontal trays include:

• Provides a less invasive method for delivering medication
• May reduce the need for surgery
• Can complement traditional treatment of root scaling and planing and gum flap surgery
• Keeps bacteria at bay, so it can’t gain a new foothold
• Is easy and convenient to use by anyone at home, requiring no special skills or techniques
• Comes with a fit that is comfortable, much like an individualized mouth guard

For treatment, you will add the medication to specific points then insert the tray in your mouth. Leave it there for 10-15 minutes, then remove. Repeat the process two or three times per day.

Once your dentist determines your infection is under control, you’ll use the tray just once a day as a way to continue managing the infection.

Find Out if You’re a Candidate for Perio Protect at Our Office

Our office is at the forefront of treating periodontal disease, including both surgical procedures and Perio Protect treatment. Schedule an appointment with the office of Dr. Bateson and her team today to find out if you are a good candidate for the Perio Protect as a stand-alone treatment or as a follow-up to a scaling and root planing procedure.