Your gums are the foundation to your smile. When their health begins to fail, it has a big impact on your dental wellbeing. Keeping your teeth and gums free of bacteria and disease will protect your smile from gum disease. Prevention is always better than cure, but we can treat the condition if periodontal disease has impacted your gum health.
What is gum disease?
Gum disease is a very common condition caused by the bacteria in plaque, which gradually builds upon the surface of the teeth and eventually hardens, becoming tartar. This can cause inflammation and bleeding of the gums, which is known as gingivitis and is the early reversible stage of the disease.
If this is left untreated, it can develop into periodontitis, a more serious irreversible stage that can only be managed rather than cured, and which affects around 10-15% of the population. It can cause pockets to develop between the root of the tooth and the gum as a result of bacteria being present. This can lead to tooth loss if not treated and stabilised.
Taking care of teeth and gums can also benefit your whole body, as inadequate oral hygiene has been linked to the development of certain health conditions, such as heart disease and strokes.
Symptoms of gum disease
Although not always obvious, symptoms of gum disease can include:
- Bleeding when you brush
- Swollen, red gums
- Bad breath or a metallic taste
- Gum recession
- Sensitive teeth
How is gum disease treated?
We can treat gum disease by removing the cause – the bacteria in the plaque and tartar. While cleaning at home and flossing will keep most of your mouth clear, trips to the hygienist will ensure your gums stay healthy. Hygienists are trained in tracking, accessing and treating gum disease so will keep an eye on the condition.
Hygiene appointments involve a thorough clean that removes plaque and stubborn tartar from your teeth. This level of cleaning can treat gingivitis and stop the condition.
For cases of gum disease that have progressed to the more aggressive stage, a deeper clean is necessary to reach under the gum line and remove pockets of bacteria that can’t be reached through conventional cleaning. This involves scaling of the root surface, which can reduce inflammation of the gum tissue. Surgical procedures can also be used to address deep gum pockets.
