Periodontal (Gum) Disease

Periodontal disease, or gum disease is an inflammatory condition where the gum starts to come away from the tooth. Over time, the bone that supports the teeth is damaged, the gums swell or shrink and eventually the teeth become loose and fall out.

What can you do to prevent gum disease?

Try to understand your condition – your input can have the greatest impact on the prognosis of your oral health!

In my experience, patients who are the most focused and dedicated to their oral and general health get best results. This helps me to help you by allowing the care you receive to be more effective. The more effective you can be with your home care, the less time and money you will need to spend at the dentist!

Brush in the correct way twice per day

Clean between teeth at least once per day

Keep up your visits with us, or your own dentist or hygienist

Give up smoking

Take control of your general health

Consume a healthy balanced diet

Understanding gum disease

• Bleeding gums are not normal.
• Healthy gums are pink and firm
• Some of us are more prone to gum disease
• Plaque is the main cause of gum disease
• We can control the amount of plaque in our mouths
• PLAQUE IS NOT ALWAYS VISIBLE
• Your home care is the most important part of gum disease
• Toothbrushing alone is not enough to prevent gum disease
• Cleaning between our teeth is essential
• It can take at least 5 minutes to clean a healthy mouth effectively, longer with gum disease!
• There is no cure for gum disease but it can be very well controlled
• Our general health can be associated with gum disease

Plaque is not always visible.

Understanding and being familiar with the anatomy of our own mouths allows us to clean more effectively.

If we can see the plaque on our teeth is it more than likely several days old!

Plaque bacteria are not visible but they are always present, capable of causing damage to our teeth and mouths!

The visible parts of our teeth and mouths are the easy areas to clean. Most plaque remains undisturbed in the hard to reach areas that you can't see. We will show you where these areas are and how to clean them effectively.

Understanding gum disease.

Periodontal inflammation is not inevitable!

The development of gingivitis and periodontitis can be prevented with thorough oral hygiene habits and regular professional examinations and support.

The basic elements of a good oral hygiene regime are:

  • Using an appropriate sized toothbrush clean all surfaces and sides of the teeth twice daily, with a fluoride toothpaste.
  • Interspace or interdental cleaning - Cleaning the spaces between the teeth where your toothbrush bristles cannot reach. There are a variety of cleaning aids for this and we will demonstrate and practice these techniques with you.
  • Dental floss can be used where the teeth are close together, with little or no space between them, while interdental brushes are suitable for larger gaps.
  • It is important to visualise each tooth individually to ensure thorough cleaning of every surface. Crowded teeth, around fillings, crowns and dentures are common areas where it is difficult to reach.
  • Antibacterial mouthwashes are no replacement for a good brushing technique, however, they are a useful supplement to brushing.
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