What do my gum pocket numbers mean?
The short answer
Those numbers are the depth of the gap between your gum and tooth, in millimeters. Smaller is healthier. Around 1 to 3 is generally healthy; 4 and up can mean gum disease, especially with bleeding or bone loss.
What the hygienist is doing
A thin ruler-like tool (a probe) is slipped gently between the gum and each tooth, usually at six spots per tooth. Each number is how deep it goes before it stops. That string of numbers you hear called out, like “3, 2, 3, 4,” is this measurement. You may also hear "bleeding" called out: gums that bleed when measured are inflamed.
Reading the numbers
- 1 to 3: generally healthy. A regular cleaning can reach this.
- 4: a warning sign, especially if it bleeds. It may be swollen gums or early gum disease.
- 5 and up: more likely a true pocket, where gum disease has pulled the gum and bone away from the root. These are hard to keep clean at home and usually need a deep cleaning.
These ranges are a guide, not a rule.
Numbers alone don't decide it
Swollen gums can make a pocket read deeper than it really is. That's why dentists also look at bone level on X-rays, bleeding, gum recession, and loose teeth. Gum disease is diagnosed by putting all of these together.
What your plan looks at
These same numbers matter to your insurance plan. When your dentist sends a claim or predetermination for a deep cleaning, the plan looks mainly at your pocket depths and bone loss on X-rays, section by section. Plans set their own criteria, which aren't exactly the same as the ranges above, so a 5 in one spot doesn't guarantee coverage. A predetermination is a useful second look before you start. See how plans review deep cleanings.
Questions to ask
- Can I see my numbers? Which teeth are 5 or deeper?
- Is there bone loss on my X-rays, and where?
- Are these real pockets, or swollen gums that might shrink with a cleaning?
- How do these compare with my last measurements?
- Before we schedule, can I get my cost in writing? (A predetermination if I'm using insurance, or a good faith estimate if I'm paying myself.)
When a second opinion makes sense
Reasonable if most of your numbers are 3 or less and a deep cleaning is recommended in every section.