It helps to know the real cause of gum disease. Without this particular cause it would not be possible to have this problem that affects over 70 % of Americans. Can you guess what it is? It is not smoking, it is not sugar, it is not pop , it is not a bad bite, it is not avoiding a tooth brush or floss, nor is it skipping out on your regular six month check ups. The cause of gum disease is bad germs. We subscribe to the germ theory in our practice. All of the other above answers contribute to the gum disease problem, but if there were no germs it would not matter if you never brushed your teeth. So if we know the cause of the problem is germs, then the objective is to eliiminate or at least reduce the bad germs. There are some germs that are important to keep around so you do not get fungal infections for example. In our practice we offer periodontal treatment appliances that help reduce bacteria and clean up the tooth surfaces. We also have the latest in antibiotic therapy along with medications that can be placed in the gums to kill the bad germs. Jill, our hygienist, is thorough and can make your visit comfortable. Just let her know your needs. She is specifically trained for the nonsurgical treatment of gum disease. For nonsurgical root planing and scaling we offer twilight sleep, anesthetic mouth wash or electronic anesthesia if you want to avoid having shots.