What is Gum Disease?
Gum disease, can present in several forms, including Gingivitis and also Periodontitis.
Gingivitis is a reversible inflammatory condition.
Periodontitis is a chronic infection and inflammation of the gums and supporting structures around your teeth.
Early signs include red, swollen gums that may bleed easily during brushing or flossing. These conditions are primarily caused by the build-up of plaque and calculus (tartar) on your teeth and beneath the gumline.
How do I treat Gum Disease?
Gum Disease treatment firstly includes maintaining excellent oral hygiene. This is done by regularly brushing well and cleaning between your teeth with floss or interdental brushes. It is important to note that even if you brush well, you will still miss up to 30% of the tooth surfaces.
Flossing/Interdental brushes daily, to clean between your teeth, ensures that you remove the rest of the plaque.
Secondly, depending on if you have Gingivitis or Periodontitis you will need to get a thorough clean done. Periodontitis will require a Deep Gum Treatment which involves numbing up your mouth and doing a deep scaling of the tooth and the root.
Once that is done, you will need to ensure that you stick your regular supportive gum maintenance appointments every 3-6 months. This is so that we can monitor the status of the gum disease but also to give your teeth and gums a good clean to prevent the hard plaque (tartar/calculus) from building up.
What about Advanced Gum Disease (Periodontitis)?
Advanced gum disease affects certain patients, particularly those who have a family history. Periodontitis is the loss of bone around your teeth and if left untreated, will lead to loose teeth and may eventually cause your teeth ‘fall out’. It is also the condition where patients get deep pockets around their teeth, further worsening the condition if food and plaque get stuck in there.
Periodontitis, however, can be managed with careful cleaning and regular visits to your dentist or gum specialist (Periodontist). It is important to note that smoking is major risk factor for periodontitis and in most cases, hides the condition as the nicotine in cigarettes stops the gums from bleeding. Diabetes is another major risk factor.
Signs and Symptoms of Gum Disease
In order of increasing severity:
- Bleeding gums, especially when brushing or flossing
- Swollen & sore gums
- Heavy plaque build-up around your gums
- Increased sensitivity
- Dark brown or black deposits around your gums
- Appearance of “longer teeth”
- Tooth movement (loose, mobile teeth)
- Teeth feel sore when chewing (although this could also indicate a cracked tooth)
- Teeth falling out from your mouth
Why is Gingivitis so bad?
Gingivitis is the earliest stage of gum disease and causes inflammation, redness, and bleeding of the gums. If left untreated, it may worsen and end up in periodontitis, a more severe form of gum disease that damages the bone and tissues supporting your teeth, leading to tooth loss. Early treatment of gingivitis is crucial to prevent long-term oral health problems and maintain a healthy smile.
Gum Disease Treatment options
The easiest gum disease treatment is a good professional dental clean, followed by an improvement in your oral hygiene. This means, a clean-up of all the plaque and calculus (tartar) deposits around your teeth and good home maintenance of brushing and flossing daily.
If you have periodontitis (however mild) – a full gum mapping chart is recommended, followed by a deep gum treatment (debridement). Gum disease requires a life-long commitment to proper management, so it’s important that you continue to see your dentist for on-going care. A resurgence of gingivitis and periodontitis symptoms is common in patients who fail to adhere to the strict management regimes.
What are the possible complications for gum disease treatment?
Remember that it is your choice if you want to proceed with gum cleaning, and the alternative is of course not having one done.
There are various possible complications that can occur despite all efforts to the contrary as a result of gum cleaning which include but are not limited to:
- Increased sensitivity to hot, cold and sweet drinks or food.
- Increased recession of the gum tissue and exposure of root surfaces as the tissue heals and swelling decreases.
- Feeling of gaps between teeth where the build-up used to be.
Deep clean (periodontal debridement) complications could also additionally include the following:
- A black triangle appearance and shadowing between the teeth where the dental papilla has been lost. This is irreversible, but if treatment is successful, it can be masked.
- Post treatment can be followed by discomfort and soreness in the gums and bony tissue which can last a few days. This is to be expected and is usually managed well with over the control pain relief.
- There are occasions when profuse bleeding of the gums can follow after treatment. Some bruising or swelling of the intraoral and facial swelling may occur and may experience some gum discoloration.
- Postoperative infection may occur, which can range from mild to severe in nature.
- Surgical procedures may possibly result in injury to the nerves of the lips, tongue, or other oral tissues. Numbness could occur which may be either temporary or permanent.
- Temporary increases in tooth mobility.
- To prevent and help control periodontal disease we advise proper brushing technique, flossing or other interdental cleaning at home and maintaining regular periodontal cleaning and root planning.
We pride ourselves on being thorough with our assessment of your gum health!
Common Dental Problems
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I cure Gingivitis?
Gum disease (periodontitis) has no cure. It is an ongoing chronic condition which can be managed and stabilised. This is why lifelong care with your Dental Professional is imperative.
How to get rid of Gingivitis?
Gingivitis is a reversible condition so once you have had a thorough dental cleaning, if you maintain excellent oral hygiene you will see resolution of symptoms within a couple of weeks.
Should I floss or use an interdental brush?
Both flossing and interdental brush use are great ways of cleaning between your teeth. Your dentist should be able to tell you which one suits you best.
Should I use mouthwash?
If you are maintaining a good oral care regime of regular brushing and flossing, there is no need for using Mouthwash. There are exceptions, which your dentist can discuss with you.
