Periodontal Screening and Recording — PSR for short — is a simple part of a regular dental exam, and it's one of the best early-warning tools we have for gum disease.
Why it matters
Periodontal disease is the number one cause of tooth loss in adults. That's the short version of why we care about catching it early. The longer we wait, the more involved treatment tends to be — and the more there is to lose.
Who it's for
PSR is appropriate for every adult 18 and up, and we also use it for children and adolescents who are at higher risk for gum problems. If you've never heard us mention it before, that doesn't mean we haven't done it — it's quick enough to fold right into a regular exam.
How it works
We examine your mouth in six sections, using a small instrument with a gentle, rounded tip that's moved along the gumline. It's not painful — a little pressure, nothing more. Each section gets a score from 0 to 4, and those numbers together tell us how healthy your gums are.
Based on the results, we'll know whether a more thorough exam would help, or whether everything looks good and you're on track.
How it helps you
In plain terms: PSR tells us how your gums are doing and whether you need anything beyond a regular cleaning. It's fast, it's painless, and it's the kind of quiet early step that can save a lot of trouble later.
Ask us about your PSR score at your next visit — we're happy to explain what the numbers mean and what, if anything, we'd recommend next.