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Gum Disease Treatment and Deep Cleaning in Richmond, BC
DTC Dental Treatment Center in Terra Nova, Richmond treats gum disease: a gum check at every exam, scaling by your hygienist to remove the tartar along the gumline, and gum (periodontal) surgery at our clinic when advanced gum disease has not responded to hygiene treatment alone. If you have a history of gum disease, we usually suggest a cleaning every three to four months instead of six. Fees follow the BCDA fee guide with no markup, and CDCP and most insurance are billed directly.
CDCP and most insurance billed directly
BCDA fee guide, no markup
Free parking at the door
Open Tuesday to Saturday
Signs of gum disease
Gum problems often start small and painless, so many people only find out at a checkup. Book a visit if you notice any of these:
- Gums that bleed regularly when you brush or floss.
- Red, swollen or tender gums, or gums that suddenly hurt with no clear cause.
- A bad taste or bad breath that keeps coming back.
- Changes in your gum line, or teeth that feel loose.
Pain in one spot, for example between two molars, is often trapped food, a cracked filling or a wisdom tooth rather than gum disease. It is still worth a look if it lasts more than a few days.
Gingivitis and periodontitis: what is gum disease?
Gum disease starts when plaque sits at and below the edge of the gums. If it is not removed every day, it hardens into tartar (calculus), and the bacteria inflame the gums: dentists call this early stage gingivitis. Gingivitis is reversible with good cleaning and home care. Left untreated, it can progress into periodontitis, a deeper infection that affects the bone and ligaments holding your teeth in place, and bone loss is not reversible. Gum disease is the most common dental problem: the Canadian Dental Association says seven out of 10 Canadians will develop it at some time in their lives, and it can progress without pain. That is why a gum check is part of every exam at DTC.
What happens at your gum check?
We start by asking what you have noticed: bleeding, tenderness, a bad taste or a tooth that feels loose. Then we look at your teeth and gums at the same visit.
- Call or request online. Call (604) 238-6666 or send the form below. Tell us which language you prefer: our team speaks English, Mandarin, Cantonese and Farsi.
- Exam. One of our dentists checks your teeth, gums, bite and soft tissues, with a low-radiation digital x-ray only when it will change what we do.
- Cleaning. Your hygienist scales away the hardened tartar along the gumline, polishes the teeth and gives you home-care advice for the spots you tend to miss.
- A plain explanation. We tell you how healthy your gums are, what we recommend and how often to come back.
- Estimate first. If you need more than a regular cleaning, you get a written estimate, including what your plan is expected to cover. Nothing starts without your OK.
Deep cleaning: scaling and root planing
In the early stages, the best treatment is a professional cleaning to remove built-up tartar, plus brushing twice a day and flossing once a day (Canadian Dental Association). When gum disease has set in, the standard periodontal cleaning is scaling and root planing, often called a deep cleaning, and it remains the foundation of treatment. Your dentist decides what you need after checking the pockets around your teeth, any bleeding and the bone level, often on an x-ray.
- If cleanings have hurt before: tell us. Numbing gel, freezing, working in sections across two visits or a desensitizing treatment beforehand all make it easier, and oral sedation is available for nervous patients.
- Gum surgery at DTC: gum (periodontal) surgery is done at our Terra Nova clinic for advanced gum disease that has not responded to hygiene treatment alone, with each step explained before we do it. More on our root canal and surgical care.
- Laser gum therapy: a laser is used alongside scaling and root planing, not instead of it, and the research on how much it adds is mixed. Dr. Ghadiri explains it in laser gum treatment: how it works.
- Referral if needed: we are general dentists. Serious gum disease that does not get better with normal dental care may need a periodontist, a dental specialist with at least three years of extra university training in treating gum disease (Canadian Dental Association). If you need one, we say so plainly and help arrange the referral.
How often should you have a cleaning with gum disease?
Every six months suits most people. If you have a history of gum disease or heavy tartar build-up, we usually suggest every three to four months, and we set the interval from your actual gum health. See what a dental exam and cleaning includes.
When are gum problems urgent?
Call us the same day if you have swelling in your gums, face or jaw, a pimple on the gum or a bad taste: these can mean infection, and infection needs treatment the same day. We keep time for same-day emergency visits Tuesday to Saturday when available.
- Call early: call (604) 238-6666 as early in the day as you can for the best chance of being seen today.
- Hospital first: if swelling makes it hard to breathe or swallow, or spreads toward your eye or neck, go to the nearest hospital emergency department (Richmond Hospital, 7000 Westminster Hwy) or call 911.
- When we are closed: send a request through the form below and we call you back when we open. For nurse advice at any hour, call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1. More first aid: emergency dentist in Richmond.
Where is DTC and when are you open?
DTC Dental Treatment Center is at 6011 No. 1 Rd, Unit 120, in Terra Nova, Richmond, with free parking at the door. The clinic is wheelchair accessible.
- Hours: Tuesday 10am to 6pm, Wednesday and Thursday 9am to 5pm, Friday 9am to 6pm and Saturday 10am to 4pm; closed Sundays and Mondays.
- Languages: our team speaks English, Mandarin, Cantonese and Farsi.
- Getting here: see directions to our Terra Nova clinic, or meet our dentists.
How much does gum treatment cost in Richmond?
We do not post a price list because the fee depends on what your gums need. Every fee at DTC follows the BC Dental Association fee guide with no markup, and you get a written estimate before treatment.
- Insurance: we bill most major insurance plans directly and show you what your plan is expected to cover before you decide. Exams and cleanings are among the most widely covered treatments.
- CDCP: the Canadian Dental Care Plan covers periodontal services such as cleaning under the gumline and non-surgical gum disease management. From age 17, scaling together with root planing is covered up to 4 units in any 12 months; more than that, and follow-up checks after gum surgery, need the plan's approval first. We bill CDCP directly, and on eligible treatments you pay only your co-payment, with no fee gap. How CDCP works at DTC.
- No insurance: you pay the same BCDA fee guide rates as everyone else, with no hidden markups. How our fees work.
Sources: Canadian Dental Association, Gum Disease FAQs; Government of Canada, CDCP: what is covered (periodontal services); CDCP Dental Benefits Guide, April 2026, as summarised on our CDCP page. Read October 26, 2026.
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FAQ
Gum disease FAQ
How do I know if I have gum disease?
Common signs are gums that bleed when you brush or floss, red, swollen or tender gums, a bad taste or bad breath that keeps coming back, changes in your gum line and teeth that feel loose. Gum problems often start painless, so a regular exam with a gum check is the most reliable way to catch them early.
Can gum disease be reversed?
Gingivitis, the earliest stage, is reversible with good cleaning and home care. Periodontitis affects the bone that holds your teeth, and bone loss is not reversible, so it is managed rather than fully reversed. That is the reason to come in early.
How often should I get my teeth cleaned if I have gum disease?
Usually every three to four months if you have a history of gum disease or heavy tartar build-up, compared with every six months for most people. We recommend an interval based on your actual gum health.
Does a deep cleaning hurt?
It should not. If your teeth or gums are sensitive, say so: numbing gel, freezing, splitting the cleaning across two visits or a desensitizing treatment beforehand all help, and oral sedation is available for nervous patients.
Do I need to see a periodontist?
Not always. Most gum care starts with your dentist and hygienist, and gum (periodontal) surgery for advanced gum disease that has not responded to hygiene treatment alone is done at our clinic. A periodontist is a dental specialist with at least three years of extra university training in treating gum disease (Canadian Dental Association). We are general dentists: if your gums need a periodontist, we say so plainly and help arrange the referral.
Does CDCP or insurance cover gum treatment?
CDCP covers gum treatment (cleaning under the gumline), with approval needed only beyond the plan's frequency limits, and we bill it directly. We also bill most major insurance plans directly and show you what your plan is expected to cover in a written estimate before treatment.
