Health

Pocket Irrigation: A Key Component of Periodontal Therapy

By tempuser_3798760768 / April 23, 2024

Poor oral habits can contribute to gum disease, which if untreated, can advance to a more severe condition called periodontitis. This destructive disorder results in inflammation of the gums, bone deterioration, and eventual tooth loss. Chronic gum disease can lead to the formation of deep gingival pockets, providing a breeding ground for bacteria and exacerbating plaque buildup.

The family dentist in Hailey, ID, and their team are highly skilled and experienced in treating gingival pockets through periodontal treatments like pocket irrigation. Scroll down to learn everything about this procedure.

How does pocket irrigation benefit your oral health?

Pocket irrigation is an effective procedure offering the following benefits:

Subgingival cleaning: The bacteria, plaque, and toxins can be easily flushed out subgingivally using round end tips. 

Interdental cleaning: The interdental gum tissues remain healthy since the pocket irrigators can eliminate the plaque and debris from between the teeth. 

Preventing halitosis (bad breath): Bad breath or halitosis could result due to the food particles combining with bacteria to produce foul-smelling by-products. Regular brushes or dental scrapers alone cannot reach the depths of the gum pockets. Powerful water jets through the irrigators can effectively flush out the debris.

Antimicrobial application: Antimicrobial agents can be used in combination with water jets or used alone, which can prevent or kill some strains of harmful oral bacteria. 

Pocket irrigation is a dental procedure that involves the elimination of dirt, debris, and plaque accumulated interdentally (spaces between the teeth), and subgingivally (between your teeth and the gum line). The tool used for the treatment is called a pocket irrigator.

How is pocket irrigation performed?

Pocket irrigation is usually performed as a part of professional dental cleaning or along with surgical procedures like pocket reduction surgery. 

  • Used with the deep cleaning procedure: Your dentist will use a pocket irrigator after routine scaling and root planing to cleanse the pockets. An antimicrobial agent may be applied to reduce subgingival oral bacteria. 
  • Used in combination with pocket reduction surgery: Your dentist will eliminate calculus (hardened plaque) and subgingival plaque with special scaling and root planing instruments. An antimicrobial agent will be applied through an oral irrigator to eliminate any remaining subgingival bacteria. 
  • Used at home: Your dentist can recommend pocket irrigation at home as a part of your daily routine using a water jet or water pick. This is considered less harmful than dental flossing. 

When gum disease progresses, tooth loss becomes a significant concern. It’s crucial to address the infection promptly. Regular dental appointments offer preventive measures like pocket irrigation, which can help halt further deterioration and enhance your overall well-being.

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