Periodontal Care

Sohelia Sabahi, dental hygienist at Dr. Martha Rich, DMD speaking cheerfully with a patient

Periodontal care isn't just about treating and controlling gum disease; it's about preventing it. Every member of our staff is highly skilled in recognizing the potential risk factors for gum disease and counseling patients on the best preventive methods in home care.

For patients who are already experiencing the beginning or advanced stages of gum disease, Dr. Rich and her hygienist, Soheila Sabahi, have created an extremely successful treatment program that allows our patients to have all their dental and advanced periodontal health care needs met in the same office. Together, they continue to integrate the best new treatment options available in periodontal therapy into their treatment regimen. Both practitioners are firmly committed to helping you halt the progress of gum disease and return your mouth to a healthy state of preventive maintenance.

The steps to maintenance are different for everyone, but will often include one or more highly-focused root-cleaning appointments to treat the periodontal infection beneath the gumline. Root cleanings are different from a regular cleaning in that they often involve the use of an ultrasonic or piezzo-electric device to remove the most tenacious deposits of plaque and tartar. These devices are faster and more comfortable than hand-scaling alone, and often cause far less damage to the root surfaces of the teeth. Laser therapy may also be used during these appointment to remove diseased tissue from select pocket areas and help the body heal faster.

Depending upon the severity of the infection, periodontal maintenance appointments may need to be performed three to four times per year in order to keep the bacterial numbers under control and to monitor for new health or lifestyle factors that might trigger a recurrence of infection.

Current periodontal treatment options offered by Dr. Rich and Soheila include, but are not limited to, the following services:

•	Treatment of chronic gingivitis
•	Treatment of early- and late-stage periodontitis
•	Root surface desensitization
•	Soft-tissue guided regeneration
•	Selective gum re-contouring for recession and optimal periodontal health
•	Regular periodontal maintenance
•	Home-care instruction and nutritional counseling

Learn More

Gum disease is a chronic condition that can be controlled, but not cured. For more information on what periodontal disease is, how it progresses, and how you can help prevent it at home, please take a look at the following articles:

What is Gum Disease?
How to Brush and Floss Your Teeth
A Parent's Guide to Oral Health for Kids and Teens.
Oral Health for Women

Additional Services Available In:

Restorative Dentistry
Family and Preventive Dentistry
Laser Dentistry
Cosmetic Dentistry
Orthodontic
Snoring and Sleep Apnea
TMJ Dysfunction

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833 SW 11th Ave Suite 405
Portland, OR 97205

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Dr. Martha Rich, DMD | drmartharich.com | (503) 228-6870
833 SW 11th Ave, Suite 405 Portland, OR 97205

Dr. Martha Rich, DMD, 833 SW 11th Ave, Suite 405 Portland, OR 97205 - (503) 228-6870 - drmartharich.com - 10/15/2025 - Related Terms: dentist Portland OR -