Gum Disease

What is Gum Disease?

The simplest form of gum disease is called gingivitis.  Gingivitis is a reaction to a build up of plaque on the teeth.  Plaque is a soft, sticky substance made up of bacteria, which live on the sugars from things we eat and drink.   If plaque has been present for a while, it hardens and is called tartar or calculus.  Although plaque can easily be removed with a toothbrush, once it has hardened on to the teeth as tartar/calculus, it has to be professionally removed from your teeth by one of our dental therapists.

As the gum disease progresses, the tissues, like the gum and the bone which hold teeth in place, start to break down and cause pockets to form in the gum around the teeth, which then allows even more plaque to gather.  This stage of gum disease is called chronic periodontitis.  It is usually painless and can become quite severe if not treated, resulting in teeth becoming loose, moving position or even falling out.

Signs and Symptoms of Periodontal (Gum) Disease

• Bleeding, red or swollen gums
• Gums that have come away from the teeth
• Pus between the teeth and gums
• Persistent bad breath or bad taste in the mouth
• Teeth becoming loose or changing position

Who Can Get Periodontal (Gum) Disease?

Gum disease can start when you are a child, but chronic periodontitis is normally only a problem in adults.  Some people are more likely to have gum disease than others:

• People who don’t brush or clean between their teeth properly
• People with crooked teeth, who find it more difficult to keep them clean
• Smokers – smoking makes gum disease considerably worse
• People who take certain drugs and medicines
• Suffering from stress, menopause, diabetes and being overweight may reduce your resistance to gum disease
• Pregnant women can suffer from gingivitis during their pregnancy

How Do We Treat Periodontal (Gum) Disease?

• Your dentist has recommended you visit one of our dental therapists for an intensive periodontal (gum) treatment to try and help try and tackle your gum disease
• Gum disease can often be cured by good mouth hygiene – brushing your teeth twice a day with an electric toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste, and using TePe interdental brushes to clean between your teeth where the toothbrush cannot reach will help to keep plaque to a minimum.
• After the initial course of periodontal (gum) treatment is complete, we recommend you keep visiting our Dental Therapist, every 3 months, until your gums improve.
• The outcome of the periodontal (gum) treatment is heavily influenced by the level of effort you put in – the more effort you make to establish a good oral hygiene routine at home, the higher chance we have of helping you to heal your gums and stop the gum disease from getting any worse.

Eating a healthy diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables will also help resist gum disease