Your hygienist will use special instruments to carefully remove plaque, which is a significant step in stopping early gum disease from developing. Should we find you are suffering from gingivitis or periodontitis, we may need to perform a more complex intervention to reverse the damage. This could involve non-surgical root planing treatment, to reach plaque that has become caught in-between individual teeth and gum pockets. The main threat to your gum health is plaque. This is a biofilm that is a by-product of the acids created in your mouth, each time you consume sugary and starchy foods. Even a very small amount of sugar will generate the production of plaque, which builds up along your gum line every single day.