The purpose of a periodontal exam is to check the health of your gum tissue. Your dental hygienist will measure the pockets that surround the teeth using a periodontal ruler that is inserted between the tooth and the gum. Each tooth is surrounded by a turtleneck of tissue. The ruler is a narrow instrument calibrated with lines marked in millimeter increments. The dental hygienist will measure the perimeter of each tooth to check the depth of each pocket around it. The depth of those pockets will determine the health or disease state of the tissue. Depths of 1-3 millimeters, with no bleeding, are considered healthy. Anything deeper than 3 millimeters can indicate a problem.
The dental hygienist will also look for and note any areas that bleed during the probing. Bleeding is a sign of inflammation, which may be a sign of bacterial infection.
During the exam, the dental hygienist will also observe the color and texture of the gums, any areas of gum recession and check for tooth mobility. The dental hygienist will record these observations to create a baseline assessment against which to compare future examinations.
It is important for your hygienist to regularly check the health of your gum tissue. Any areas of deeper pocketing, and/or bleeding of the gum tissue can be signs of periodontal disease. Periodontal (gum) disease affects the gum tissue, the bone surrounding the tooth, and the ligament that holds the tooth to the bone. Undiagnosed or unchecked periodontal disease can result in tooth mobility and ultimately tooth loss.