Periodontal disease?!

Periodontal disease?

I am pretty sure I have periodontal disease. I read that dental scaling and root planing can reverse it and help the gums reattach to the teeth. Has anyone had this done? How well did it work and how bad was your teeth and gums before? Did it hurt much?
I don't think mines real bad right now. My gums have receded alot but my teeth are not loose. I'm currently trying to find a good dentist for my check up. I'm just scared cuz I've had a few bad dentists before.
I read last resort is surgery.....don't wanna go through that.

The scaling is a very important process in correcting gum problems. You will always have the disease, but you will need to learn how to maintain it. The most important thing to remember is YOU have to be in control of your oral hygiene. You need to understand the proper way to brush and floss. You need to have regular cleanings (3, 4 or 6 month). DO NOT SMOKE! Smoking is a definite indicator for tooth loss related to gum disease. If you have recession, you will not gain gum tissue from the scaling. The scaling removes hard deposits on the roots of the teeth, which allows the gums to reattach, but not grow back up the tooth. If the disease is severe and you have deep pockets, the pockets need to shrink. The shrinking will cause the teeth to appear longer because now more root surface is showing. It may not look as pretty, but if you don't reduce the pocket depth, the gum can not stay healthy.