Most people will experience some form of Gum disease at some point in their life. At its early stages this is usually reversible, however when left untreated can advance to irreversible loss of the bone supporting the tooth. It is one of the most common causes for tooth loss in modern day. You may experience bad breath and swollen gums that are prone to bleeding, especially when brushing your teeth.
We provide non-surgical treatment of periodontal disease (Gum Disease), which is considered the first line treatment in addressing this condition.
Gum disease is described as swelling, soreness or infection of the tissues supporting the teeth. There are two main forms of gum disease: gingivitis and periodontal disease.
Gingivitis means ‘inflammation of the gums’. This is when the gums around the teeth become very red and swollen. Often the swollen gums bleed when they are brushed during cleaning.
Long-standing gingivitis can turn into periodontal disease. There are a number of types of periodontal disease and they all affect the tissues supporting the teeth. As the disease gets worse the bone anchoring the teeth in the jaw is lost, making the teeth loose. If this is not treated, the teeth may eventually fall out.
Gum disease is generally painless, even though it damages the bone supporting the teeth. Gum disease (gingivitis) will usually show itself as red, swollen gums that bleed when you brush or clean between your teeth. Many people are worried when they notice their gums are bleeding and then brush more gently, or stop altogether. In fact, it is important that you continue to clean regularly and thoroughly if you are to fight the gum disease. If the bleeding does not go away within a few days see your dental team to ask for their advice.
It is important to remove plaque and bits of food from around your teeth as this will stop your gums from becoming inflamed and swollen, and becoming infected. If you leave plaque on your teeth it can harden into tartar, which can only be removed by the dental team. It is important to keep up your regular appointments so that your teeth can have a thorough cleaning if they need it.
Smoking can also make gum disease worse. People who smoke are more likely to produce bacterial plaque, which leads to gum disease. The gums are affected because smoking causes a lack of oxygen in the bloodstream, so the infected gums don’t heal. Smoking causes people to have more plaque and the gum disease to get worse more quickly than in non-smokers. Gum disease is still a major cause of tooth loss in adults.
The first thing to do is visit your dental team for a thorough check-up of your teeth and gums. They will measure the ‘cuff’ of gum around each tooth to see if there is any sign that periodontal disease has started. X-rays may also be needed to see the amount of bone that has been lost. This assessment is very important, so the correct treatment can be prescribed for you.
Your dental team will remove all plaque and tartar from your teeth. You will also be shown how to remove plaque successfully yourself, cleaning all the surfaces of your teeth thoroughly and effectively. This may take a number of sessions with the dental team. A good oral care routine at home with brushing and interdental cleaning is the most important thing you can do to help prevent gum disease getting worse.
Once your teeth are clean, your dental team may need to treat the roots of the teeth to make sure that the last pockets of bacteria are removed. This is called ‘root planing’. You’ll probably need the treatment area to be numbed before anything is done. Afterwards, you may feel some discomfort for up to 48 hours.
There is no cure for periodontal disease, but it can be controlled as long as you keep up the home care you have been taught. Any further loss of bone will be very slow and it may stop altogether. However, you must make sure you remove plaque every day, and go for regular check-ups by the dental team.
In recent years gum disease has been linked with general health conditions such as diabetes, strokes, cardiovascular disease, poor pregnancy outcomes and even dementia. More research is needed to understand how these links work but there is more and more evidence that having a healthy mouth and gums can help improve your general health and reduce the costs of medical treatment.
I have been a patient at Evergreen for many years and have been totally satisfied with both the service I have received and the treatment given. So satisfied, that when I moved away from the area, I chose to make the journey to remain with the practice.
My daughter has received thorough and professional treatment at Evergreen Dental Surgery.
I’ve been a patient at this practice for over 25 years and I’ve never had any reason to complain . Even when I moved miles away years ago, I still attended as I was happy with the service provided. Now with the restructuring of management etc, I am more than impressed with the service. Matthew and Michelle have excellent standards and advice, warm and welcoming too. Hannah, also has the same approach. I would recommend Evergreen Dentistry to anyone and I am thankful for their care.
The treatment was excellent my daughter has a perfect smile . I would highly recommend the dentist to my friends and family. Very good service throughout the treatment.
The treatment was excellent – my daughter has a perfect smile. I would highly recommend the dentist to my friends and family. Very good service throughout the treatment.
Our lad had treatment here for 18 months and the journey from Clacton every time was worth it. Lovely staff , clean environment, appointments on time. Our son’s teeth are amazing now. 5 stars!
The dentist is AMAZING and cannot recommend enough! He’s thorough, knowledgeable, funny and kind and totally put my son at ease throughout the entire procedure.
My family have been with this surgery for years and have received nothing but the best of care. I would recommend this dentist in a heartbeat!
Despite this not being my regular dental practice I was able to book an emergency appointment at short notice to assess and treat a painful tooth. The staff were highly professional and helpful and when I told them the pain had increased considerably over night they managed to bring my scheduled appointment forward 24hrs. During the visit an X-ray was taken and the dentist talked me through the results, treatment options and recommendations. This was done very clearly. The dentist then proceeded to treat the infected tooth even though the practice was due to close for the day. I was very impressed with the whole experience.
Top notch service, and they openly give you options on how to proceed with dental care, i.e. for me, choices on whether to have braces or not. They give their opinions but ultimately let you decide, with the appropriate amount of information. Would recommend!
