Which option best describes the primary goal of subgingival debridement during periodontal therapy?

• A. Remove supragingival calculus only
• B. Place medicaments into pockets
• C. Remove subgingival calculus and biofilm to reduce inflammation and pocket depth
• D. Remove cementum

Answer: (C)

Subgingival debridement is aimed at removing the bacterial biofilm and calculus that cling to root surfaces below the gum line. By physically clearing these subgingival irritants, the inflammatory response in the pocket diminishes, and pocket depth tends to decrease as the tissues heal and reattach to the tooth. This directly targets the factors driving periodontal disease at the root surface, which is why removing subgingival calculus and biofilm to reduce inflammation and pocket depth is the best description. Placing medicaments into pockets is an adjunctive step, not the core goal of debridement, and removing cementum is not the objective—though some cementum may be affected incidentally during cleaning, the aim remains to disrupt biofilm and calculus and promote healthier periodontal tissues.