Patient self-care of periodontal pocket infections.

Treatment of periodontitis aims to control the infection caused by the periodontal pathogenic flora and includes mechanical debridement of root surfaces to disrupt the supragingival and subgingival biofilm. As periodontal pockets of ≤ 5 mm can be perform in a stable condition and may not need additional therapy, the ability and the willingness of the patient to perform good oral hygiene on a long-term basis are of utmost importance for ensuring long-term success of periodontal treatment. In this context, the aim of all home-care measures must be the optimal control of plaque biofilm in order to prevent or treat gingival inflammation as a primary stage of periodontitis. Despite the fact that toothbrushing and other mechanical cleaning practices are the most important elements for preventing periodontal diseases or their progression, other factors, including education, motivation, manual dexterity and compliance with professional recommendation, provision of time and socio-economic status, as well as risk factors, play a role. The present article provides an overview on the various possibilities for self-care of residual pockets in patients with periodontitis.