Periodontics & Gum Health
What is Gum Disease?
Gum disease, or periodontal disease, is a common concern for many patients. Even with good at-home oral hygiene, it can still develop over time.
Your gums create a protective seal around your teeth, shielding the sensitive roots underneath. Healthy gums are essential for supporting and protecting your teeth. Gum disease occurs when these tissues that hold your teeth in place become infected, often as a result of plaque buildup, which can damage the gums over time.
- Symptoms of Gum Disease
At times, you may not notice any symptoms of gum disease. However, some patients might experience symptoms that include:
- Receding gums
- Bleeding in your gums
- Persistent bad breath
- Red or purple gums
- Sore or swollen gums
- Diagnosis
To check for gum disease, your dentist will measure the depth of the pockets around each tooth. Pockets deeper than 3mm may indicate gum issues that could require treatment.
Regular dental exams allow your dentist to detect gum disease early and take steps to help protect your oral health.
- Treatment
To treat gum disease, your dentist carefully removes bacteria and debris that can build up in the pockets around your teeth. This process often requires multiple visits, as the bacteria can be microscopic and thorough cleaning is important.
Once the pockets have been cleaned, regular maintenance is key. Without proper care, bacteria can return and may begin to affect the supporting bone, so ongoing checkups and professional cleanings help protect your oral health.
- Long-Term Care
If you’ve experienced gum or periodontal disease, it’s important to stay vigilant about your oral health.
In addition to maintaining good hygiene at home, regular professional cleanings are essential to help prevent the bone supporting your teeth and jaw from receding.
After your initial treatment, we typically recommend periodontal maintenance appointments every three to four months to help keep your gums and teeth healthy.
Periodontal Specialists for Patients in Surrey
If your periodontitis is advanced, we may refer you to a periodontist for specialized treatment and management of periodontal disease.
Stages of Gum Disease
Gum disease is a progressive condition, which means that without treatment, it can worsen over time and lead to significant issues affecting both your oral and overall health. The stages of gum disease include:
- Gingivitis
When bacteria isn't fully removed from your teeth and gums, it can multiply and produce toxins that irritate the gums.
As plaque (also called calculus) builds up along the gum line, it creates a rough surface where more bacteria can accumulate. This can lead to irritation, swelling, bad breath, or sore, bleeding gums.
At this early stage, pockets may form between the gums and teeth, but no bone damage occurs. This mild stage of periodontal disease is usually reversible with proper care and professional treatment.
Regular hygiene cleanings and exams are critical for maintaining the health of your gums. They also give your dentist the chance to check for developing gum disease.
- Periodontitis
Periodontitis affects the area beneath the gum line and is most often caused by plaque buildup.
This condition can lead to the breakdown of the ligaments that support your teeth, causing the gums to pull away.
As the pockets deepen, they can fill with more bacteria, and the supporting bone and ligaments may become damaged, which can result in teeth becoming loose.
- Advanced Periodontitis
In the advanced stage of periodontitis, deep pockets can form around the teeth and may sometimes fill with pus. Swelling around the roots and increased bone loss can occur, which can contribute to teeth becoming loose.
Tooth extraction may be a necessary remedy to preserve your oral health.
Surgical Gum Therapy (Gum Grafting)
During a gum graft procedure, a periodontist takes a small piece of tissue from the roof of your mouth and places it in the area where additional gum coverage is needed.
The tissue is secured with a special adhesive that helps protect the graft and support healing. The area on the roof of your mouth will also need a few days to recover after the procedure.
Follow-up appointments are important to monitor healing and ensure the surgical site is recovering as expected.