Bad breath and bleeding gums? You may be suffering with gum disease. Call us now to book an appointment on 020 8749 3371
What is gum disease?
- It is a complex condition affecting the gums and bone supporting your teeth. Several factors contribute to it, including family history, smoking and chronic diseases such as diabetes.
- It begins with plaque, a soft, sticky substance that builds up on your teeth. Plaque is mostly made up of bacteria, which feed on sugar from food and drink. Tartar, formed by hardened plaque, helps plaque to gather and make it harder to remove.
- It plaque is allowed to build up, the bacteria in it can make your gums sore and infected; they will look red and puffy, and they will probably bleed when you brush your teeth this is called GINGIVITIS, a reversible form of gum disease.
- If left untreated, the gums will then start to become detached from the tooth, forming ‘pockets’ in which plaque can gather – and bone supporting the tooth will slowly be lost. Because this process is usually painless, it can become very bad without you noticing. This is called PERIODONTITIS. If left unchecked, gum disease will lead to the loss of teeth.
What will my dentist do?
- We will check the health of your gums, often using x-rays to assess your bone levels and discuss the diagnosis with you. Our dentists will give thorough oral hygiene instructions to help improve your brushing habits at home which is important to keep gums healthy.
- You can’t remove tartar and stains (caused by tea, coffee, smoking) just by brushing your teeth, but a dentist or hygienist can remove using special instruments – this is known as scaling and polishing or a hygiene clean.
- If you have periodontal disease, it may be necessary to carry out deep scaling (periodontal treatment) to clean root surface below the level of the gum. You may need a local anaesthetic prior to periodontal treatment, so it is not painful.
Your dentist will always tell you about the best way to clean your teeth and gums thoroughly at home
Call to book your appointment today : 020 8749 3371