Frequently Asked QuestionsWhat is Gingivitis?Gingivitis is a response by the gum tissue to plaque building up around the necks of the teeth. If your cleaning (brushing and flossing) technique is not correct, plaque will build up at the delicate junction where the teeth come through the gums. This irritates the gums and causes them to become inflamed (gingivitis). You may notice that they bleed when you brush your teeth; they may appear redder than pink healthy gums. In some cases they also swell up. Gingivitis is a reversible condition and effective cleaning will lead to health in a couple of weeks. Where the plaque has hardened into calculus (‘tartar’) this has to be removed by a dentist or hygienist to allow proper cleaning. What is periodontal disease (gum disease)?Periodontal disease is a disease of the gum tissue and underlying bone. Unlike gingivitis, periodontitis is associated with irreversible loss of the underlying bone that holds the teeth in. Gum pockets usually open up between the tooth and gum and act as reservoirs for bacteria unless treated. The rate of bone loss varies very much from individual to individual, but if untreated may well lead to tooth loss. Up to 80% of the population will probably get some periodontal disease, and 15-20% of people will lose a significant number of teeth if they do not receive treatment. Like gingivitis, periodontitis is usually painless, and by the time people become aware of problems, usually teeth becoming loose or drifting out of alignment, serious damage has been done. If caught early enough, most periodontal disease can be treated. Why do I have bleeding gums?Bleeding gums are a sign that the gum tissues are unhealthy. It is extremely difficult to make healthy gums bleed. Bleeding gums are a sign of gingivitis, usually as a result of ineffective tooth cleaning in the area that bleeds. Bleeding gums may also be a sign of periodontal disease, which affects the bone holding the teeth in. If this is not treated it can lead to early tooth loss. Why do I have receding gums?Receding gums are a sign that there has been some loss of the tooth-supporting tissue. It is not an inevitable consequence of age. Gum recession around one or two teeth may be a sign that you are not cleaning properly. People who are prone to this sort of gum recession will get it if they don’t clean well enough (leading to gingivitis) or if they clean too hard and scrub their gums away. Careful instruction in the right way to clean by a dental hygienist is important. This sort of gum recession can be often be treated by minor gum surgery if it is unsightly. More extensive gum recession may well be an indication of underlying periodontal disease. Not everybody with periodontal disease will get gum recession, it is more usual for people’s gums not to recede and look superficially fine, whilst losing important attachment under the surface. What is gum (periodontal) treatment? The most common type of gum treatment brings together two components; 1. Oral hygiene (home care plaque control) 2. Meticulous removal of plaque and calculus (tartar) from the gum pockets (debridement). In this way, treatment targets the causes and effects of gum disease, namely the bacteria initiating disease at the edge of the gum and the bacteria progressing the disease within the gum pockets.
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Periodontics UK 30a Wimpole Street London W1G 8YA Tel: 0203 219 3020 |