Bliss 32 Dental & Implant Centre
Treatment for bleeding gums, pyorrhea and gum disease.
Gum disease is the most common reason adults lose teeth, and in its early stages it rarely hurts - which is exactly why it gets missed. The teeth are held by bone, the bone is covered by gum, and bacteria in plaque along the gum line inflame both.
Two stages
Gingivitis is inflammation of the gum only: red, puffy, bleeding when brushed. It is fully reversible with a proper clean and better daily cleaning at home.
Periodontitis is what it becomes if left. The inflammation reaches the bone, and bone is lost. Pockets form between tooth and gum that a toothbrush cannot reach, teeth may loosen or drift, and there may be persistent bad breath. Lost bone does not grow back - treatment stops further loss rather than reversing what has gone. That is the whole argument for treating it early.
What we do
An examination with a probe, measuring pocket depths around each tooth, and X-rays to see the bone level. That gives a clear picture rather than an impression. Treatment is usually deep cleaning of the root surfaces below the gum, over one or more visits, with the area numbed. In some cases a referral for surgical treatment is the right answer, and we will say so.
Then what
Reassessment after a few weeks to measure whether the pockets have reduced. Most of the long-term result is in maintenance: cleaning between the teeth daily - a brush cannot reach between them, and that is where this starts - and more frequent professional cleaning, often every three to four months rather than six.
Things that make it worse
Smoking is the single biggest one, and it also masks bleeding, so the disease progresses more quietly. Uncontrolled diabetes works both ways: it worsens gum disease, and gum disease makes blood sugar harder to control. Tell us about your health and your medicines.