Periodontal (Gum) Disease

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Gum Disease

Did you know that healthy gums provide the basis for a long- lasting smile?

Most dental professionals will tell you that healthy gums really are the foundation of a beautiful, healthy smile that lasts the test of time. At Ascent Dental Care Loughborough you can be sure that our entire team is working towards promoting exceptional standards of oral hygiene for all our patients.

However, some patients may come to us suffering from some form of gum disease, whether it be minor gum inflammation, or the advanced stages of Periodontal Disease. Whatever your problem, our experienced Hygiene team will work with you to help slow down and maintain the stages of gum disease, to ensure that you retain your natural teeth for as long as nature intended.

Our gums (or gingiva) act as a foundation for our teeth. Healthy, pink gums help to create an environment in which teeth will thrive and remain firmly anchored. If gums are well maintained, with both professional cleaning and a robust home care regime, there is no reason why your teeth cannot last you a lifetime.

However, if gums become red, swollen and/or begin to bleed, this is the sign of early gum disease. If left untreated, gum disease will gradually cause the soft tissue to come away from the teeth, which in turn, will cause teeth to become very mobile and eventually lead to tooth loss.

Did you know that gum disease is the number one cause for tooth loss in adults?

There are many signs of early stage gum disease, however, because the symptoms can sometimes be subtle, they may go unnoticed by many patients when our day to day busy lifestyles take-over.

Early intervention is key to treat gum disease and maintain healthy gums long-term

However, with the correct professional treatment and a robust home care regime gum disease is straight-forward and inexpensive to treat and maintain.

The hygiene team at Ascent Dental Care Loughborough have a wealth of experience in helping our patients to treat and maintain all stages of gum disease, from Gingivitis right through to advanced Periodontal Disease. Our dedicated team have a special interest in your oral health and their time with you will be focused on not only providing the correct clinical treatment but also showing you how to maintain your gum at home

The good news is that with professional care and the right approach, gum disease is very easy and inexpensive to prevent

What is Gum Disease?

Gum disease is caused by a build-up of the bacteria found in plaque. ‘Plaque’ is the white ‘fluffy’ stuff that gathers around the neck of the teeth (gum level) if not removed regularly. Plaque contains toxins and bacteria and if not removed effectively will start to irritate the gums. You may notice some of these symptoms:

  • Puffy or irritated gums
  • Gums can appear red
  • Minor discomfort on tooth brushing
  • Plaque is visible
  • Your breath may become whiffy as bacteria is not removed.

At this stage, symptoms are very easy to treat - see your Hygienist who will show you how to simply remove the plaque effectively with good quality home care products and gums will return to health usually within a week.

However, if the plaque and bacteria is left to grow and multiply, it will form little ‘pockets’ around the gum margin. If bacteria is pushed further down the tooth root, it will cause inflammation and infection, in addition, if plaque left undisturbed for long periods it will form tartar (known as calculus) which in turn helps more plaque to gather and makes it harder to remove with your brush.

Healthy gums will not bleed when you brush them

Gum Disease itself has two stages:

Gingivitis
Many thousands of people across the UK will currently have some form of mild gingivitis. If early signs & symptoms are left untreated, gingivitis will develop into full blown gum disease.

What are the Signs of Gingivitis?

  • Swollen and inflamed gums
  • Gums will appear very red
  • Bleeding gums when brushing
  • Gum recession (teeth may appear ‘longer teeth’)
  • Persistent bad breath
  • Visible plaque and tartar

If you have 3 or more of these symptoms it is possible that you are suffering from gingivitis.

Why not call the team at Ascent Dental Care Loughborough and a visit to our hygiene department for an assessment as soon as possible?

With prompt treatment, our Hygiene team are still able to stop this progressing into periodontal disease and eventual tooth loss.

At this stage, gum disease will often be treated with 2-4 intensive professional cleaning sessions with our dedicated professionals. At these appointments, we will also show you the very best way to care for your teeth and gums at home, and provide you with a bespoke homecare regime designed to keep gum disease at bay/maintain for good.

Dentistry isn’t expensive, but neglect is. Professional Hygiene visits at Ascent Dental Care Loughborough are great value for money and drastically increase the chances of retaining your teeth for life

Periodontitis (advanced periodontal disease)

Patients unfortunate enough to be suffering from periodontal disease will very likely be aware that they have a problem. These patients usually show all the signs of early gum disease, in addition will be suffering from:

  • Very loose or mobile teeth
  • Large gaps where tooth loss has already occurred
  • Fowl smelling breath
  • Gum abscesses and associated discomfort
  • Difficulty in eating and chewing

Untreated Periodontal Disease will almost certainly lead to tooth loss

Periodontal disease is not always ‘curable’ but our Hygiene team can certainly drastically improve the symptoms and maintain a level of status quo.

At Ascent Dental Care Loughborough, our Hygiene team will create a robust & bespoke Periodontal Disease package with the aim to:

  • Eliminate the bacterial toxins
  • Remove build-up of hardened plaque (calculus)
  • Remove infection
  • Disinfect the gum tissue
  • Implement & monitor an intensive home care regime based on individual needs
  • Provide regular ‘deep cleaning’ treatments (usually 3-monthly)

A periodontal ‘treatment & maintenance” package, will in most cases, keep the symptoms of periodontal disease at bay and prevent further damage and tooth loss.

We don’t just ‘clean teeth’!

At Ascent Dental Care Loughborough, our Hygienists do not just ‘clean teeth’, they form a vital part of our experienced clinical team and work alongside the dentists to ensure that patients retain and maintain healthy gums for as long as possible.

Our clinical team will work together to assess the individual needs of our patients and where necessary, patients will be provided with a treatment plan and options bespoke to their individual needs.

Why should I visit the hygienist?

  • Professional cleaning and gum maintenance will help to prolong the lifespan of any complex dentistry such as dental implants or veneers
  • Regular hygiene session will help to prevent gum disease
  • Our Hygiene team will help effectively maintain patients who have advanced Periodontal Disease
  • Our Hygiene team will work closely with our dentists to prescribe bespoke treatment packages following diagnosis of Periodontal Disease
  • We will recommend the best oral hygiene products based on individual needs
  • Regular Hygiene visits will lead to fresher breath
  • Regular Hygiene visits will lead to cleaner and whiter teeth
  • Our preventative approach will reap benefits to your entire dental health
  • We will help to monitor diet and sugar intake
  • We can advise on smoking cessation

Whilst a great home care regime is certainly crucial, it is recommended that patients visit the hygienist every 3-6 months for a ‘professional clean’ in order to remove bacteria and toxins from those hard to reach areas that brushing alone will not reach.
Are you worried about your gum health?
Maybe you have been told that you suffer from bad breath?
Or you may have been diagnosed with periodontal disease?
Whatever your concern, at Ascent Dental Care Loughborough we are proud to offer FREE Consultations for patients worried about their gum health. Simply call our friendly team to find out how our flexible approach to your dental needs could result in a healthy smile for the long-term.

Professional cleaning at Loughborough Dental & Implant Centre really is the foundation for healthy teeth for life

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