Gum Disease

What we do

Periodontology Treatment

Periodontics is the area of dentistry dealing with gums and gum disease.

Gum disease is the swelling, soreness or infection of the tissues supporting the teeth. There are two main types of gum disease; ‘gingivitis’ and ‘periodontal disease’.

Gingivitis means inflammation of the gums, which often leads to bleeding when you brush, for instance. After a while, if this is not treated, gingivitis can turn into periodontal disease, which has a bad effect on tissues supporting the teeth. As the disease progresses, the bone fixing the teeth to the jaw is lost, making the teeth loose. If untreated, the teeth may eventually fall out.

Gum disease is very common and more teeth are lost as a result than through tooth decay. Most people experience the problem of gingival inflammation and often they may be unaware of it, until the problem advances. The early signs to look out for are:

Bleeding gums
Sensitive gums
Bad breath
Receding gums

These problems affect all ages, therefore early intervention can help prevent or manage the problem. There are many factors that can affect the onset of gum disease, such as diabetes, smoking, diet and even heredity, so if members of your family have gum disease then you may also be susceptible.

Gum disease can be prevented with good oral hygiene and our dental Hygienists provide invaluable support to our patients in this respect.

Once gum disease is established and bone loss has occurred the effects cannot be reversed. Special treatment will be required to arrest the disease and to control and maintain it. Our dentists and Specialist Periodontist can help in this respect.