Periodontal Gum Disease
Most adults in the UK experience gum disease to some degree- for some people quick detection, professional cleaning and changes to oral hygiene habits can control the disease, regular review will ensure the gum disease remains stable with little or no inflammation of the gums.
However for a significant number of people, the inflammation of the gums (which is usually painless) results in bleeding gums when brushing and bad breath, this early phase is called gingivitis. If the inflammation continues over a period of time unchecked it can, in some individuals result in a condition called periodontitis. Periodontitis affects the supporting structures of the teeth, over time the gum and bone around the teeth is eroded by the disease process, eventually the teeth loosen and can cause pain. This is a common cause of tooth loss in adults.
Gum disease is caused by a build up of plaque on the teeth, plaque is creamy-white in colour and is often difficult to see, the plaque contains bacteria- some of which cause tooth decay, others cause gum disease. If allowed to stay on the tooth surface the plaque hardens and turns into hard calculus (tartar), this calculus cannot be removed by brushing, it requires professional cleaning using specialised tools. We provide treatment for periodontitis on the NHS and privately- if you choose to be treated privately we are able to provide you with longer appointments to provide deep cleaning and home care advice and we can review you regularly to assess the response to treatment due to less constraints. If we feel your gum disease is aggressive, advanced or does not respond to our initial treatments we will offer you a referral to either the Dental Hospital in Dundee or Blackhills Specialist Clinic.
Your risk of developing gum disease increases with increasing age, if you smoke or if you have diabetes or another medical condition that can affect your immune system, gum disease also runs in families showing there is a genetic link that can affect susceptibility.
Recent research has shown links between gum disease and the process of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) which can cause heart disease and stroke, links have also been shown between diabetes and inflammation of the gums (diabetes can affect the gums and the gums can affect your diabetic control).