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Periodontal disease can be diagnosed during a regular dental examination. Your dentist will perform a careful survey of the appearance of your gums, check each tooth for looseness, and use a probe to identify and measure any spaces, known as pockets, which may have formed between your gums and teeth. In periodontal disease, these pockets will measure more than 3 millimeters (mm) in depth.
Because early symptoms of gingivitis can be difficult to detect, you should have a regular dental checkup every six months.
If you do have periodontal disease, your dentist may need to refer you to a specialist in the treatment of gum disease, called a periodontist.
Dental X-ray This type of x-ray can reveal whether or not the bones that support your teeth show signs of deterioration. Evidence of bone loss around teeth is one of the signs of more advanced periodontal disease.
References:
American Academy of Periodontology website. Available at: http://www.perio.org/ .
American Dental Association website. Available at: http://www.ada.org/ .
