Can periodontal gum disease be reversed? The answer is yes, if

you begin early enough and are diligent. More advanced

periodontal gum disease may still be reversed, but it will take

some special cleaning provided by your dentist to give you a

fighting chance.

Adopting a strenuous daily oral hygiene routine now can go a

long way to reversing periodontal gum disease.

1. Brush thoroughly when you get up in the morning and before

you go to bed each night. Brushing or at least rinsing with

water after meals and snacks will also help remove food and

bacteria trapped between teeth, helping in reversing

periodontitis.

2. Rinse your mouth with a good antibacterial mouthwash for at

least a full thirty seconds twice each day. This will help

reach bacteria trapped in pockets below your gum line, aiding

in reversing periodontal gum disease.

3. Floss every single day. Pay special attention to flossing

just below the gum line for reversing periodontal gum disease.

4. Even better than flossing or rinsing is the use of one of

the powerful oral irrigators on the market, which blast food

particles out from between your teeth and clean the gumline.

High-end irrigators can be purchased with special tips to reach

deeply into any pre-existing pockets and clean them out. These

special tips are necessary for effective cleaning if your

periodontitis has already established itself.

While a conscientious oral hygiene routine can go a long way in

aiding the reversal of periodontal gum disease, sometimes the

infection is too far advanced, and it is necessary to get

professional help.

If the problem is becoming severe, your dentist may see fit to

perform a periodontal cleaning. If x-rays show deep pockets of

bacteria surrounding any of your teeth below the gum line, your

dentist can choose from special procedures known as debridement,

scaling or root planing to go in and scrape the bacteria out and

make the tooth less hospitable to germs. He may also order a

prescription antibacterial mouth wash to be used daily that

will also help in reversing periodontal gum disease.

If more is required, he may perform actual periodontal surgery,

which involves lifting the flaps of the gum to enable deep

cleaning and suturing them back in place. After the procedure,

you will have several appointments to check on the success of

the cleaning. Still, there's good news for patients that have

to suffer through surgery -- a 2001 study found that roughly

50% of patients with moderate to severe periodontal disease

showed measurable improvement from surgery, while those trying

non-surgical options enjoyed less success.

The important thing is to seek help as soon as you notice any

signs of trouble with your gums. The good news is, periodontal

gum disease can be reversed if it's caught early enough.