Periodontal & Gum Treatment

Inflammation, swelling and infection in the gums can occur for a number of reasons. We look for, monitor and treat gum disease to ensure that it does not develop into a serious problem for our patients.

Gum Disease

Periodontal disease (gum disease) affects more than 45% of adults in the UK.

It affects the supporting tissues of the teeth (gums, bone and periodontal ligament), resulting in their destruction, and the loss of support of the teeth. This can lead to mobile teeth, loss of teeth, the appearance of ‘long teeth’ due to gum shrinkage, bad breath and abscesses.

Bleeding Gums

Bleeding gums and gums which appear red and swollen can be early signs of gum disease, but as it is often painless, the disease can be at an advanced stage before symptoms start to show.

Your dentist will examine the health of your gums during each routine examination appointment and offer self-care advice or further treatment options if required.

Gum disease is caused by dental plaque (bacteria) which grows on your teeth and gums. In susceptible individuals this plaque causes an overzealous immune response resulting in damage to the tissue around the tooth.

Oral Hygiene

Good oral hygiene is essential in minimising plaque levels and therefore reducing your risk of gum disease.

Other factors which can increase your risk of gum disease include:

• Smoking
• Diabetes
• Stress
• Malnutrition
• A weakened immune system (i.e. due to treatments such as chemotherapy, immunosuppressant medicines, or conditions such as HIV.

Treatment of gum disease

• Oral Hygiene
  – Ensure you are brushing for 2 minutes last thing at night, and at least one other time during the day. Electric or manual brushes can be used however, many people find it easier to clean their teeth with an electric toothbrush.
  – Cleaning between your teeth with either interdental brushes or floss – ideally daily.
  – Mouthwashes
  – Not smoking
• Scale and Polish
  – This removes soft dental plaque from the teeth surfaces and also hard calculus deposits which can form above and below the gum line, leading to additional plaque accumulation.
• Root Surface Debridement
  – A deep clean to clear dental plaque from the root surfaces of teeth where deep pockets are present underneath the gum line. It is not possible to clean these areas using the normal oral hygiene methods. Local anaesthetic is used to ensure no pain or sensitivity during the cleaning process.
• Further Treatment
  – If the initial treatments prove unsuccessful, or for particularly difficult cases, a referral to a specialist Periodontist may be required where further more complex treatments may be carried out.