Your Dental Visit And Periodontal Charts

Your twice a year dental visit is a time to get your teeth evaluated and cleaned. They are vital to keeping your teeth healthy and well. During your visit there may be things that happen that you don’t understand. For example, you may be trying to understand the coincidence as to how it seems like the hygienist always asks you what your plans are for the weekend while their hands are in your mouth. There’s nothing harder than saying, “Going to the movies,” while your mouth is wide open with someone else’s hand in your mouth.

Another part of your dental appointment that you may not understand is why the dentist pokes at your gums and calls out numbers. When this is happening you are experiencing a painless test called a periodontal chart. A periodontal chart measures the health of your gums and bone surrounding each tooth. For every tooth, it has six areas that are measured. The measurements are taken in millimeter measurements.

If you hear numbers ranging from 1 to 3 you are in the normal range and healthy.

Numbers 4 and above up to 6 can mean there is a potential problem such as inflammation of your gums. Larger numbers can also be a sign of the beginning of bone loss or even periodontal disease surrounding your tooth. Periodontal disease is an infection of the structures surrounding your teeth.

At Montevallo Family Dentistry, Dr. Shunnarah is pleased to offer comprehensive dental exams and cleanings. Don’t put off booking your appointment with us to evaluate your gums for periodontal disease.

Posted on behalf of Montevallo Family Dentistry