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Untreated gum disease is still the primary reason for losing teeth in adulthood. In most cases, gum disease is entirely treatable and at some time in their lives, most adults are affected by it.
Perhaps your dentist and dental hygienist have been managing your gum disease for some while but the inevitable has happened and some progression has taken place? Perhaps your teeth are becoming loose or you have even had to lose one or two. Many patients come to us with adult periodontitis that needs more management than their dentist can provide. It maybe time to even consider loss of a tooth or two with replacement with dental implants.
Our team can help by assessing the overall situation and finding a way forward with you that suits you. Our team of specialists cover all these areas to help you return to having excellent dental health with teeth and a smile you can be proud of. If you have been struggling with bleeding gums, bad breath, loose teeth and pain, now is the time to ask for help. If you are particularly nervous, we are always able to offer sedation for any treatment you may require and you can be confident that all aspects of your care will be discussed with you including costs and time scales.
GUM DISEASE FAQs
How will I know if I have gum disease?
Bleeding gums are NOT normal.
You may notice that:
- Your gums are red and swollen
- Your gums bleed easily when you brush or eat hard foods
- You have bad breath
With severe disease you may notice that :
- Your teeth may become wobbly
- Your gums may recede making the teeth look longer
- Spaces may open up between the teeth or some teeth may become more prominent
Who can get gum disease?
- People who smoke. Gum disease can be 5 – 8x more severe in smokers
- People with poorly controlled diabetes
- People with a family history of gum disease
Can gum disease be treated?
Treatment is based on controlling the bacteria.
In most people the treatment aims to prevent the disease from getting worse and cannot reliably replace the support your teeth have already lost.
- The bacteria can be cleaned away from both above and below the gum line to reduce the gum inflammation (deep cleaning or root surface debridement). This is usually done with a local anaesthetic to make sure that this process is completely comfortable for you. It is like having a very thorough scale and polish
- You can be taught the best methods of cleaning your teeth and gums to remove the bacteria on a daily basis.
- These cleaning methods will be different for different people.
- If you have severe gum disease you may need to clean your teeth better than someone with less severe disease.
- Your response to treatment can be checked and monitored to make sure that the problem doesn’t reoccur.
- In some instances once all the gum inflammation has disappeared, a surgical procedure can be carried out to grow new bone and gum around the teeth.
What are the benefits of treatment?
- Any bleeding or swelling of the gums should reduce or disappear.
- If your teeth are loose they should become firmer.
- Your breath will become fresher.
Healthier gums mean that you should be able to keep your teeth longer. The improvement will depend on how good your cleaning becomes and how severe your disease was to begin with
What are the risks/side effects of treatment?
- The gums may feel a little sore for 24 hours after deep cleaning.
- The gums may recede a little way (0.5 – 2 mm) as they heal and become healthier after deep cleaning. In severe cases this can be masked using a gingival veneer.
- Your teeth may temporarily become more sensitive to hot and cold. This can usually be managed with the use of special de sensitising pastes and mouth washes.
What does the Periodontist do?
A Periodontist is a qualified dentist who has had a minimum of 3 years extra post graduate training in the detection, diagnosis and management of patients with periodontal problems and in the planning and placement of dental implants
What happens at the first appointment?
- At your first appointment at our practice Dr Sodeinde will discuss with you in detail your particular concerns about your general oral health and will carry out a thorough examination with appropriate xrays, if necessary, in order to arrive at a proper diagnosis.
- The periodontist will then discuss with you in detail, different treatment options and associated costs and the time commitments involved with different treatments.
- This discussion will be summarised and sent to you for your further consideration.
- If you decide to go ahead with a proposed treatment then any initial deep cleaning and focused oral hygiene instruction may be carried out either by the periodontist or our dental therapist (depending on the severity of your periodontal problems.)
- The periodontist will carefully examine you about 4 – 6 weeks after the completion of any deep cleaning to assess your gum healing. At this reassessment appointment there will be further discussions about your periodontal health and what you may or may not need in terms of long term monitoring and maintenance care or other periodontal treatment.
What does a dental hygiene therapist do?
Dental therapists, in common with the rest of the dental team, are concerned with your total oral health.
A dental therapist may quiz you in detail about your diet in order to identify risk factors for tooth sensitivity, tooth decay, or tooth surface erosion.
Dental therapists carry out superficial and deep cleaning (with local anaesthesia if required) and personalised oral hygiene instruction. They may suggest specific treatments for tooth sensitivity.
They are also vital in monitoring your general oral health and your specific periodontal status.
Dental therapists are an essential part of a comprehensive dental team, particularly in a periodontal practice. They work under the supervision of the periodontists.
Do you offer laser treatment for gum disease?
We do not offer this type of treatment as the evidence for the efficacy of this technique is weak at the moment, compared with conventional deep cleaning.
Will I have to take antibiotics in the management of periodontal disease?
With some more advanced types of periodontal disease, we may recommend a week’s course of antibiotics at the end of any deep cleaning, in order to eliminate more bacteria in the mouth so as to maximise the healing and pocket shrinkage.
How much does gum disease treatment cost?
Please see our Fees page for a guide to fees for dental implant treatments.
Request a Callback
If you would like to discuss gum disease treatment please use the callback form below and a member of our team will be in touch.