- 1Diagnose & chart — full-mouth probing depths, bleeding on probing, recession, mobility, radiographs.
- 2Oral-hygiene instruction & risk-factor control — plaque control, smoking cessation.
- 3Anaesthetise; perform subgingival instrumentation (ultrasonic + hand) to disrupt and remove subgingival biofilm and calculus.
- 4Complete the dentition — by quadrant or full-mouth within a short window, per your protocol.
- 5Re-evaluate at 6–8 weeks — re-probe; decide on adjuncts or surgery for residual deep pockets.
TIP · Adjunctive systemic antibiotics (amoxicillin + metronidazole) add pocket-depth reduction beyond debridement — but with more adverse events; reserve for specific cases.
TIP · Treating periodontitis improves glycaemic control in people with diabetes (≈0.4% HbA1c) — worth flagging to medical colleagues.