People with gum disease typically require more care at home and at the dental office. This is not necessarily due to improper or ineffective cleaning or neglect, but rather to the type of bacteria, rate of plaque and tartar build-up, and differences in one's immune response. Once teeth are cleaned thoroughly in a dental office, those bacteria which cause a breakdown in connective tissue and bone have been shown to repopulate the mouth in eleven weeks; therefore, people with a periodontal disease should see their dentist every three months.