In a healthy mouth, the pocket depth is usually between 1 and 3 millimeters (mm). Pockets deeper than 4 mm may indicate periodontitis. Pockets deeper than 5 mm cannot be cleaned well with routine care.
What is the Normal Depth of Periodontal Pockets? When a tooth has periodontal disease, this tissue becomes detached past 3mm deep. Under 3mm deep a pocket is considered healthy, while 4mm or deeper it is considered unhealthy.
The area between the tooth and the gums is called pockets. A healthy pocket is within 2-3mm. More than 3 mm is a sign of periodontal disease and more than 5mm would require deep cleaning/root planning.
Because damage to your gum tissue is irreversible, if your pocket depths start to increase the damage will be done.
Advanced periodontitis
Tooth roots are only 10 – 12 mm long, so when the pockets between your teeth and gums are 7mm or greater, your teeth are in severe danger of being lost.
A snug fit between tooth and gum (no more than 3 mm) makes it easier to remove plaque bacteria from beneath the gum line, where it can affect the attachment of gum tissue to the tooth. Any space over 3 mm deep may signify gum disease, particularly if gums bleed.
It was concluded that substantial reduction in pocket depth occurs within 3 weeks after a single episode of root planing owing to initial gingival recession and secondary gain in clinical attachment.
Scaling and root planing helps to shrink periodontal pockets and can heal gum tissue. This treatment prevents further infection, and keeps your teeth and gums looking and feeling great. After scaling and root planing most patients notice their gums recede less, and they are restored.
It's never too late to seek treatment for gum disease, and the degree of treatment you require will depend on how advanced it is.
Diagnosing Periodontal Pockets
One to three millimeters is normal, as a toothbrush can still reach this depth. Pockets deeper than 4 mm, particularly with redness, bleeding and inflammation, require a degree of treatment.
Most people with healthy teeth and gums need an examination for periodontal disease every six months, and it is done at the same time as their regular dental checkup.
Clinical research shows that Waterpik® Water Flossers can help reduce gum pocket depth, too. Effective and Gentle Cleaning to Reduce Gum Pockets Treating periodontal pockets can slow or stop the spread of gum disease, but professional treatment alone won't keep the condition from returning later.
The simple answer is, no. If your gums are damaged by, for example periodontitis, the most severe form of gum disease, it's not possible for receding gums to grow back. However, even though receding gums can't be reversed there are treatments that can help to stop the problem from getting worse.
Flossing is a great way to remove plaque from the interdental regions (between the teeth). Flossing is an especially important tool for preventing periodontal disease and limiting the depth of the gum pockets.
Salt has healing properties that can treat and heal inflamed or swollen gums caused by gum disease. Even though salt water is extremely effective in helping to treat gum disease, salt water cannot cure gum disease.
Advanced Gum Disease (Periodontitis) Can't Be Reversed
Once gum disease progresses past gingivitis, the infection is permanent. Irreversible damage will be done to your teeth and gums, and it will never be possible to completely eliminate the infection.
Deep teeth cleaning can help reduce the size of the pockets and slow or halt the progression of gingivitis gum disease.
Ongoing gum irritation and swelling, called inflammation, can cause periodontitis. Eventually this causes deep pockets to form between your gums and teeth. These pockets fill with plaque, tartar and bacteria and become deeper over time. If not treated, these deep infections cause a loss of tissue and bone.
Can a Water Flosser damage teeth or gums? Though some may find that their gums bleed when they first use one, a Water Flosser does not damage teeth or gums.
Maximal pocket depth (PD) was used as primary indicator for periodontitis. It was classified as: no/mild ≤3 mm, moderate 4-5 mm, severe ≥6 mm.
Since flossing can only reach 2-3 millimeters under the edges of your gum tissues, you need something that can safely clean deeper under those pockets.
2-3 mm is considered healthy and physiologic and anything over 5 mm usually indicates that the bone that supports your tooth has begun to be destroyed by the disease. To give you something to compare with, a pencil eraser is typically about 5 mm in diameter.