Prestbury Road Dental Practice

preventative dental treatments

gum disease

Gum disease describes swelling, soreness or infection of the tissues supporting the teeth. There are two main forms of gum disease: gingivitis and periodontal disease. It is caused by plaque forming on the teeth and gums and not being sufficiently removed by cleaning and floss.

What is gum disease?
How do I know if I have gum disease?

Q. What is gum disease?
Gum disease describes swelling, soreness or infection of the tissues supporting the teeth. There are two main forms of gum disease: gingivitis and periodontal disease. It is caused by plaque forming on the teeth and gums and not being sufficiently removed by cleaning and flossing.

Gingivitis means inflammation of the gums. The gums around the teeth become very red and swollen. Often, they can bleed when they are brushed during cleaning.

Periodontal disease can result from long-standing gingivitis. It affects 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.

Smoking can also lead to gum disease. Smoking increases the production of bacterial plaque, which in turn leads to gum disease. The gums are affected because smoking causes a lack of oxygen in the bloodstream, sot he infected gums fail to heal.

Q. How do I know if I have gum disease?

• Your gums are tender, swollen or red
• Your gums bleed when you brush or floss
• You can’t get rid of bad breath or a bad taste in your mouth

A course of periodontal treatment by a professional Hygienist will improve the condition of your gums, and continued good oral health and regular visits to your Hygienist and Dentist will help keep the problem from worsening.