Dental Hygiene & Gum Health Treatments

Gum disease is an inflammatory condition of the gums often characterised by bleeding, swelling and soreness. It can progress and also affect the ligament and bone that support the teeth leading to receding gums, infections, tooth looseness and even tooth loss. There are two main forms of gum disease: gingivitis and periodontitis.

To ensure optimum dental health, regular hygiene treatments should form a regular part of everyone’s dental care. Our hygiene team will advise on the specific regime beneficial for you after your initial examination.

This first stage of gum disease occurs when the gums react to the presence of bacteria in plaque. As a result, the gums become inflamed, appear red and swollen and can bleed during brushing.

Gingivitis is reversible and can be treated by a hygienist through removing plaque and tartar deposits around the gum line. Without the bacteria aggravating the gums, they settle down and return to normal. Gingivitis can be prevented through a good oral hygiene regime at home including inter-dental cleaning, and regular trips to the hygienist.

If the start of gum disease (gingivitis) is left untreated, it can progress into periodontitis. This condition isn’t reversible but can be controlled by a dental professional. More teeth are lost as a result of periodontal disease than through tooth decay, so it is essential that the condition is monitored and treated to protect the teeth.

Periodontitis occurs as the gums recede as a result of the gum disease, forming pockets between the tooth and the gum. These deep pockets allow bacteria to develop below the gum line, causing plaque and tartar to form on the tooth roots where the tooth is much more vulnerable and sensitive. This deeper accumulation of bacteria damages the bone and ligament that hold the teeth in place causing bad breath, recession of the gums, infections, tooth mobility and eventually tooth loss.

Our hygienists can remove the bacteria from the tooth roots using root planing, protecting the teeth from further damage from the bacteria. Gum grafts are also a possible treatment to restore lost gum tissue and protect exposed tooth roots from harm.

Most people suffer from some form of gum disease but thankfully this mild gingivitis can be managed by our team. However, gum disease is the primary cause of tooth loss in adults. Gum disease develops very slowly in most people and thus can go undetected. Our dental team will diagnose any problems, advise on treatments and will work a regime to keep your teeth healthy.

Every type of gum disease is caused by plaque which is not effectively removed.

Plaque is a film of bacteria which forms on the surface of the teeth and gums every day. Many of the bacteria in plaque are harmless, but some have been shown to be the main cause of gum disease. To prevent and treat gum disease, you need to make sure you remove all the plaque from every surface of each of your teeth every day by regular brushing and flossing.

Regular professional treatment by our therapist will aim to prevent or treat gum disease.

The first sign is blood on the toothbrush or in your spit when you clean your teeth. Your gums may also bleed when you are eating and can leave a bad taste in your mouth. Your breath may also become unpleasant.

However, often gum disease may not present with any of these symptoms and can go undetected. Hence, we recommend regular Dental Health Examinations.

Visit your dentist for a comprehensive Dental Health Examination of your teeth and gums and explain your symptoms. The dentist will measure the depth of gaps between the gum around each tooth to see if there is any sign that periodontal disease has started. X-rays are usually taken to check the amount of bone that may have been lost/damaged.

This assessment of the type and severity of the gum disease is very important, so the correct treatment can be prescribed for you.

Smokers are more likely to produce bacterial plaque which leads to gum disease. Also, the gums are affected because smoking causes a lack of oxygen in the bloodstream, resulting in infected gums failing to heal.

Gum disease still remains the most common cause of tooth loss in adults.

Gum disease often progresses without you experiencing pain on the whole so that you may not notice the damage it is doing.

However, the bacteria are sometimes more active and this will make your gums sore, leading to abscesses. You may experience pus oozing from around the gum line, which can be accompanied with pain.

As gum disease progresses, the bone supporting the teeth will be lost, leading to bad breath, recession of the gums, infections, tooth mobility and eventually tooth loss.

If the disease is left untreated for a long time, effective treatment can become increasingly more difficult.

Your hygienist will begin by removing hard plaque from your teeth and gums which cannot be removed by brushing at home. Your therapist will then be able to measure the depth of the gaps and decide on the treatment required. You will also be shown how to remove plaque successfully yourself, cleaning all surfaces of your teeth thoroughly and effectively. This may take a number of sessions with the therapist.

Professional cleaning removes the bacteria below the gum line to treat the gum disease.

Once the hard plaque has been removed, your therapist may decide to carry out further cleaning of the roots of the teeth, to make sure that the last pockets of bacteria are removed. This is called root surface debridement or root planing.

You will probably require local anaesthetic for this treatment to be carried out and you may feel some sensitivity and tenderness for up to 48 hours afterwards.

Yes and no. The aim of our advice and treatments is to stop gum disease and return your mouth to a healthy state. However, there is no cure for the damage from periodontal disease (bone loss, recession and tooth looseness) that has already occurred. This is why it is essential we catch and treat gum disease early. By doing this, the rate of progression can be slowed down and/or stopped to help prevent any further damage. It is essential that you make sure you brush every surface of every tooth daily to remove damaging plaque. Our therapists will work with you and give you advice on correct brushing techniques and how to correctly use interdental brushes. We recommend regular examination and therapy appointments to ensure gum disease is identified early, helping to correctly prescribe treatment required.