Gum Disease
Prevention and treatment of gum disease at Vara Dental Practice in Manor Park, East London
Whilst many people associate tooth loss with dental decay; it is, in fact, gum disease which is responsible for the most loss of teeth in the UK.
As gum disease is relatively easy to prevent, this statistic is unfortunate and unnecessary and, with better oral health care and treatment, many more teeth can be saved.
What is gum disease?
Gum disease falls into two main stages; gingivitis and periodontitis. Both are caused by the same bacteria that can attack the gums if left unchecked. Whilst the bacteria is always present, its effect is minimal if controlled effectively, but if left to advance, can cause significant dental problems.
Gingivitis
Gingivitis is the general name of early stage gum disease; the symptoms of which may include soreness of the gums or the presence of blood in the saliva when the teeth are cleaned. Persistent bad breath is also likely to be a strong indicator.
These signs though may not show early on in some people and therefore regular check-ups should be maintained at Vara Dental Practice to prevent a build-up of the bacteria.
Periodontitis
Periodontitis is the later stage of gum disease and can have devastating effects. As well as attacking the gums, periodontitis also attacks and weakens the bone which holds the teeth in place. When this happens, the teeth can become loose and may eventually fall out.
Prevention and treatment
Whilst many people do brush their teeth regularly, only around 20% of us in the UK are thought to floss. By simply adding flossing to our oral health routine, many cases of gum disease simply would not occur. If you find flossing difficult, please speak to us at our Manor Park dental practice and we are happy to advise or discuss alternatives.
Once gum disease occurs, there are three main options available to reverse it.
In the very early stages, a simple improvement to your oral health regime, if maintained, may be sufficient to reverse the problem. Regular check-ups are key to this to prevent the problem becoming more significant.
Treatment and prevention of gingivitis often involves the removal of plaque and tartar from the teeth by a procedure known as a scale and polish. It is not usually necessary to use a local anaesthetic for this procedure and may be performed by our dentist.
If the gum disease has advanced to the periodontitis stage, a similar procedure may be used. This time however, a local anaesthetic will be given as the procedure involves cleaning the gums and the teeth deep under the gum line. Without the anaesthetic, this deep cleaning would be an uncomfortable procedure.
Once the teeth have been cleaned and the bacteria removed, it is important to ensure that you maintain your oral health effectively and keep regular appointments with us to prevent it from reoccurring.
If you have any symptoms of gum disease, we recommend that you make an appointment with us at our Manor Park dental practice by calling us on 020 8552 1626 as soon as possible.
