If you’ve been treated for gum disease, you’ve already taken the most important step towards protecting your oral health. But treatment doesn’t stop once your gums have healed. Ongoing periodontal maintenance is essential to prevent infection from returning and to keep your smile healthy for life.
At Pure Periodontics in the City of London, Dr Neesha Patel and her team specialise in helping patients manage gum disease aftercare through personalised periodontal maintenance plans. Understanding how often you should see a gum specialist, and why these visits matter, can make all the difference in maintaining long-term results.
What Is Periodontal Maintenance?
Periodontal maintenance, also known as Supportive Periodontal Therapy (SPT), refers to the professional cleaning, monitoring, and risk assessment appointments that follow gum disease treatment. These visits go well beyond a standard dental check-up and are specifically designed for patients who have previously had gingivitis or periodontitis.
Periodontal Maintenance Therapy consists of four key stages.
The first stage is reassessment. During your visit, your periodontal status is carefully reviewed. This includes re-measuring gum pocket depths, checking for bleeding, gum recession, tooth mobility, and assessing your oral hygiene levels.
The second stage is diagnosis. Using the measurements taken, your periodontist can identify whether the disease has remained stable, relapsed, or if new areas of concern have developed. Attending maintenance appointments at the recommended intervals allows any changes to be detected early, often preventing the need for more extensive repeat treatment.
The third stage is treatment. Any remaining or recurring pockets are professionally rescaled, sometimes using local anaesthetic for comfort. In some cases, medicaments may be placed into the pockets to support healing. A full-mouth scale is also carried out, and oral hygiene advice is reinforced to ensure you are supported between visits. If a site is found to be worsening and cannot be controlled with maintenance alone, alternative treatment options may be discussed.
The final stage is risk evaluation. Based on your clinical findings and overall risk factors, your periodontist will recommend how long the gap should be before your next maintenance appointment.
Even with excellent home care, bacteria can repopulate below the gumline quickly. Without regular maintenance, gum disease can return silently, often without pain or obvious symptoms until damage has already occurred.
Why Is Periodontal Maintenance Important?
Once you’ve had gum disease, your mouth remains more vulnerable to bacterial infection. The gums, bone, and periodontal ligament supporting your teeth require ongoing care, much like a car or a house needs regular servicing to prevent breakdown.
Research strongly shows that without periodontal maintenance, there is a significantly higher risk of disease relapse. This can lead to further breakdown of the supporting structures of the teeth, increasing the likelihood of bone loss, tooth mobility, and ultimately tooth loss.
Gum and periodontal disease are rarely painful, which means you may not notice a relapse yourself. Maintenance therapy allows for early detection and prompt intervention, helping to preserve your teeth for as long as possible and avoid the need for repeat intensive treatment.
If pockets remain after treatment, no matter how well you clean, there will always be areas that accumulate plaque. With brushing and interdental cleaning, you can typically only clean up to around 3 millimetres below the gumline. Deeper pockets therefore require regular professional cleaning to prevent deterioration, further bone loss, root surface decay, and potential loss of tooth vitality.
At Pure Periodontics, many patients tell us they feel reassured after maintenance visits, noticing cleaner gums, fresher breath, and greater confidence knowing their oral health is being closely monitored.
How Often Should You See a Gum Specialist?
The ideal frequency for periodontal maintenance varies from patient to patient. It depends on the severity of your original gum disease, how stable your condition is following treatment, and your individual risk factors.
Typically, periodontal maintenance begins at three-month intervals. As your gum health stabilises, this interval may gradually be extended. Some patients may move to four-month, six-month, or even annual specialist visits, depending on how well their condition remains controlled between appointments.
Factors such as diabetes, smoking history, stress levels, and oral hygiene effectiveness can all influence how often maintenance is required. Dr Neesha Patel will continually reassess your condition and tailor your recall interval to provide the best long-term protection for your gums.
What Happens During a Periodontal Maintenance Appointment?
A periodontal maintenance appointment at Pure Periodontics includes a thorough review of your gum health, professional cleaning, and ongoing support.
Your periodontist or hygienist will measure gum pockets, assess bleeding and inflammation, and check for any signs of disease progression. Plaque, tartar, and bacteria are carefully removed from above and below the gumline, including in deeper pockets that are impossible to clean at home.
You will also receive personalised advice on brushing techniques, interdental cleaning, and lifestyle habits that support gum health. Where appropriate, additional therapies may be used to help control bacteria in hard-to-reach areas.
Who Carries Out Periodontal Maintenance?
Evidence shows that periodontal maintenance carried out by a specialist periodontist is the most effective in maintaining long-term stability. In many cases, your periodontist will work closely with your general dentist or hygienist, advising them on tailored maintenance intervals.
Alongside visits at your general dental practice, it is essential to continue attending specialist maintenance appointments at Pure Periodontics as outlined in your treatment plan. These appointments allow for close monitoring, detailed risk assessment, and early intervention if needed.
What Happens If You Don’t Attend Maintenance Appointments?
Non-compliance with periodontal maintenance significantly increases the risk of disease relapse. In many cases, this can result in the need for repeat intensive treatment. Unfortunately, second attempts at treatment do not always respond as well as the initial therapy.
Further bone destruction may occur, making the condition more complex to treat and leading to a poorer long-term prognosis. Advanced periodontal disease is harder to control and increases the risk of tooth loss, which is why consistent maintenance is such a crucial part of gum disease aftercare.
Supporting Your Gum Health at Home
Professional care is essential, but your daily routine also plays a key role. Brush twice daily, clean between your teeth every day, and avoid smoking, which interferes with healing and increases the risk of relapse. A balanced diet, good hydration, and attending all scheduled appointments help protect your investment in your oral health.
Specialist Periodontal Maintenance at Pure Periodontics
At Pure Periodontics in the City of London, Dr Neesha Patel, a registered specialist periodontist, provides expert periodontal maintenance and long-term support for patients who have been treated for gum disease. Using advanced techniques and a personalised approach, she helps patients maintain healthy gums, fresh breath, and confidence in their smile.
Whether you have recently completed treatment or require ongoing periodontal maintenance in London, our team is here to support you at every stage.
The Bottom Line
If you’ve had gum disease treatment, regular periodontal maintenance is essential to protect your results and prevent relapse. Most patients begin with maintenance visits every three months, with intervals tailored over time based on stability and risk.
With expert care from Dr Neesha Patel at Pure Periodontics in the City of London, you can enjoy long-term gum health and peace of mind knowing your smile is in specialist hands.
Book your periodontal maintenance appointment today and take the next step in your gum disease aftercare journey.