Gum Disease
Diagnosis and treatment of inflammation or infection affecting the gums and supporting tissues
What is gum disease?
Plaque that is not removed hardens into tartar within days, and tartar cannot be brushed off. The gum reacts to the bacteria on it by becoming inflamed, which is why it bleeds.
If it stops there it is reversible. If it carries on, the inflammation spreads down the root and the body dissolves the bone holding the tooth, opening a pocket between gum and root. That bone does not grow back, which is why this is caught rather than cured.
What you might notice
- Gums that bleed when you brush
- A tooth that has gone loose in an adult
- A swollen gum with pus around a tooth
- Breath that stays bad however often you brush
How it is diagnosed
Your dentist walks a marked probe around every tooth and records how deep the gum pocket is at each point. Up to three millimetres is normal; four and above means attachment has been lost.
X-rays show how much bone has gone and whether the loss is even or concentrated around particular teeth. Your dentist also checks for looseness and asks about smoking and diabetes, both of which make the disease progress faster.
Recovery
Gums are tender for a few days after a deep clean and the teeth can be sensitive to cold for a couple of weeks. Use a soft brush and keep going, because stopping is what lets the plaque return.
Gums often look to have shrunk afterwards. That is the swelling settling and the real level of the gum showing, and it can leave gaps and sensitive root surfaces that need their own care.
If it is left untreated
Bone loss continues silently. Teeth loosen, drift and start to splay, and by the time that is visible most of the support has gone.
The end point is losing teeth that were otherwise sound, often several at once. Advanced gum disease is also linked to worse control of diabetes and to heart disease, so the effects are not confined to the mouth.
Questions about gum disease
Why do my gums bleed when I brush?
Healthy gums do not bleed. Bleeding means the gum is inflamed by plaque at the gum line, and the usual reaction, which is to brush that area less, makes it worse. It is the sign to be seen, not to stop brushing.
Will the bone grow back?
Generally no. Treatment stops the loss and lets the gum reattach to what is left, and in some specific defects a graft can regenerate a little. Planning on holding the current level is realistic.
How often will I need a deep clean?
Once the disease is stable, reviews every three to six months are usual, with cleaning at the pockets that need it. The interval is set by how your pockets measure at each visit, not by a fixed schedule.
Other dental treatments
Treatment used to remove infection or inflammation from inside a tooth and preserve the natural tooth
Day CareReplacement of missing teeth using an implant-supported artificial tooth
Day CareTalk to a care coordinator about gum disease
Leave a number and a care coordinator calls you back with what the treatment involves and which hospital it would be at. They book a consult only if you want one