Gum Disease

What is it? What are the effects? And what can you do to prevent and treat it?

What is gum disease?

Gum disease is an inflammation of the gum tissue that supports your teeth. Generally, gum disease is caused by poor oral hygiene, but other factors can be responsible. Certain medications, for example, are known to increase the likelihood of developing gum disease.

How do I know if I’ve got gum disease?

In its earliest stages bad breath or sore or bleeding gums could be signs of gum disease. This early form of gum disease is knows as gingivitis. Because these symptoms could be caused by other factors too, don’t assume that just because you have bleeding gums you automatically have gum disease. Make an appointment with your Bristol dentist and we’ll check.

If gingivitis isn’t treated the symptoms can become more severe. You can develop abscesses (painful pockets of pus beneath your teeth or in the gum and bone). Your gums could recede. And as small gaps open up in the tissue between tooth and gum, your teeth could become loose and even start to fall out. This stage of gum disease is known as periodontitis.

How do I prevent gum disease?

• Brush your teeth properly: Good oral hygiene is the best way to prevent or slow the progress of gum disease. Most of us brush our teeth at least twice a day. Many of us floss. But not enough of us brush our teeth properly. Here’s how you can put that right:

– Brush every surface of your teeth – front, back and the biting surfaces.
– Use the right amount of fluoride for you (ask us for details).
– Take 2 minutes to brush – use a stopwatch or egg-timer to help.
– 2 minutes of careful brushing is far better than a shorter period of vigorous brushing as that can damage tooth enamel just as much as acid.
– Spit out any excess toothpaste after brushing, but don’t rinse your mouth. Let the toothpaste do its job.

• Visit your Bristol dentist: Visit us regularly at Lodge Causeway Dental Centre and we’ll check for any signs of gum disease and give your teeth the occasional scale and polish (if necessary) to keep your teeth and gum line free from tartar.

What if I already have gum disease?

If you are worried that you already some signs of gum disease it really is vital that you make an appointment to see us at our Bristol dental surgery- don’t wait for your symptoms to become more severe! Call in and see us and we’ll assess things and plan what needs to happen next.

Make your appointment

Keep gum disease at bay. Visit our Bristol dental surgery and let us give you a healthier smile. You can make an appointment using the form on the right, or call us on 0117 958 68 78.