Gum Disease

Gums are the natural frame around your teeth. Maintaining healthy gums is one of the main prerequisites for a perfect smile.

Healthy gums are scalloped, thin, pink in colour, and covering the tooth root. Any gum disease that makes the gums lose any of these features will affect your smile.

The most common gum diseases include bleeding and receded gums, both are a result of untreated gingival inflammation.

Dulwich Dental Office offers top-rated gum treatment solutions to restore your gum health and smile.

Difference Between Gingivitis and Periodontitis: How Do Gum Diseases Happen

When the gums are traumatised or inflamed due to poor oral hygiene, this causes increased blood flow in the gum tissue, leading to gum enlargement and bleeding. This is what is called gum inflammation or gingivitis.

If the cause is not removed, the inflammation progresses into a periodontal disease. Periodontal disease involves inflammation progression to the periodontal tissue or the tooth-supporting structures, such as the jaw bone. The most common symptoms of periodontal inflammation include gum recession, bone resorption, teeth sensitivity due to root exposure, and teeth loosening due to the loss of bone support.

Symptoms of Gum Diseases

• Reddish and swollen gums
• Gum bleeding

• Metallic taste
• Bad odour

• Teeth sensitivity
• Teeth loosening

• Gum recession

The Most Common Gum Diseases Symptoms: Bleeding and Receded Gums

Risk Factors of Gum Diseases

• Poor oral hygiene: plaque and tartar accumulation are the main causes of gum diseases.
• Age: in general, with aging gum diseases are more prevalent.
• Genetics: some people have a genetic predisposition for gum diseases than others.
• Certain medications: such as antidepressants and heart medications
• Poor nutrition
• Smoking
• Grinding and clenching your teeth
• Diabetes
• Hormonal changes during pregnancy

Complications of Gum Diseases

Neglecting the treatment of gum diseases may lead to serious complications, either on your oral or systemic health.

Gum disease eventually causes tooth looseness, leading to tooth loss due to diminished tooth support (bone and gums).

Also, gum diseases have been proven to be one of the main factors in heart disease. The inflammation causes an increased blood supply and bacterial entry into the bloodstream, causing heart problems.

Treatment of Gum Diseases: Dulwich Dental Office Solutions

Dulwich Dental Office is London’s premier dental facility for various gum disease treatments. Our expert periodontists have performed over 10,000 periodontal therapy procedures with the highest patient satisfaction rate.  The treatment modality depends on the degree of tissue destruction and disease severity. Our top-rated periodontal therapy solutions include:

Professional teeth cleaning

A thorough tooth cleaning to remove the plaque layer is considered an effective periodontal treatment for minor gum diseases. Professional teeth cleaning every six months, in combination with daily oral hygiene measures ensures your periodontal health and can reverse any damage.

Scaling and root planning

Scaling and root planning are like professional teeth but performed on a deeper level (below the gums) to remove bacteria from areas toothbrushes cannot reach. The procedure involves the removal of plaque and tartar in addition to smoothening the root surface to prevent bacterial attachment.

Pocket reduction surgery

Cases with moderate gum disease show bone resorption before gum recession. Pocket reduction is a surgical procedure where incision and gum retraction are performed to expose the root surface to clean and smoothen it to promote the conditions for healing and bone regeneration. The pocket reduction surgery may be performed solely or combined with bone/ gum graft or guided tissue regeneration.

Bone graft

A bone graft may be used to compensate for the lost bone. The bone graft may be harvested from another site from the patient or may have a bovine or synthetic origin.

Gum graft

A gum graft is a soft tissue graft to compensate for the receded gums. The gum graft may be harvested from areas from the roof of the mouth to cover the exposed root surface and eliminate teeth sensitivity.

Guided tissue regeneration

Periodontal surgery involves using a membrane to promote the growth of some kind or tissues while preventing the growth of others. It is used during pocket reduction surgery to promote bone regeneration and prevent soft tissue growth.

How To Prevent Gum Diseases

1. Maintain oral hygiene measures by brushing your teeth at least twice and flossing once daily.
2. Schedule regular hygiene visits to professionally clean your teeth and receive professional hygiene advice from our dental experts.
3. Maintain regular check-up visits especially if you have a systemic disease that may affect your gum health, such as leukemia to spot any initial gum diseases and stop their progression.
4. Follow the recommended brushing technique by our hygienists and avoid vigorous brushing.
5. Avoid using a hard bristled toothbrush.
6. Maintain a healthy diet rich in vitamins C and K to maintain the health of your gum tissues.
7. If you experience any early signs of gingival inflammation, consult our dental experts to avoid irreversible tissue damage.
8. If you are a diabetic patient, keep your blood sugar level normal to avoid gingival inflammation and recession.
9. Quit smoking.