Gum Cleaning

Scaling, polishing and gum cleaning (also known as periodontal cleaning) is a really important part of maintaining your overall dental health.

What happens at a gum cleaning appointment?

At each visit to the dentist, we will examine your gums to determine a ‘gum score’ or BPE score (short for ‘Basic Periodontal Examination’). The BPE score is a globally-recognized scoring system which can indicate firstly how healthy your gums are overall and how well you brush your teeth but can also be used to help us to check for links or risk factors to certain medical conditions in the rest of your body. This BPE examination is, therefore, a really important part of your general check-up with the dentist

Your BPE is scored between 0 and 4 for each sector of your mouth, and patients with a BPE score greater than 0 means that there are some gum issues that may need addressing. If your score is 1-2, a ‘simple scale’ would generally be sufficient which can be done relatively quickly and your gums should return to feeling normal the same day.

If your gum score is either a 3 or 4, then a more advanced scale may be required. The procedure required for this takes longer, and the gums can take a little while to settle and heal – perhaps up to 8 weeks.

Below is an explanation of how we score your BPE:

0. No plaque, tartar, pockets or bleeding. No treatment needed.
1. Some bleeding but no visible plaque – treatment would generally be extra flossing and longer brushing time at home when brushing teeth.
2. Visible plaque or tartar but no pockets more than 3mm – treatment would be a simple scale.
3. Probing depth or pocket of 3.5-5.5mm – treatment would generally be an advanced cleaning treatment.
4. Probing depth or pocket greater than 5.5mm – treatment would generally be an advanced cleaning treatment.