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Gum Disease
WiSE Dental Clinic Gold Coast
Serving you 7 days a week
Affordable and flexible
Emergency Dental Care
Gum Disease (Periodontitis)
We always think about our teeth! It makes sense as it’s what we see first when we smile. Often overlooked is our gums which support and hold our teeth in place. It’s definitely something we need to take care of!
Gum disease is very common and often goes unnoticed or ignored. Gum disease is easily detected by an examination by our experienced dentists and treated, stopping its effects in its tracks.
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It can be very difficult to distinguish between Gingivitis and Gum Disease / Periodontitis so it is important that you see a dentist for a proper diagnosis. Gingivitis is easily treatable and its effects reversed by an experienced dentist. Gum disease is much more serious and requires immediate attention to prevent tooth loss and other health issues. If you are concerned about gingivitis or gum disease, please schedule an appointment with our friendly team and we'll take care of the rest!
What is Gum Disease?
Gum disease is an infection of your gums and is more formally known as periodontitis. With gum disease, your gum tissue and bone are progressively destroyed which may cause your teeth to become loose. In advanced stages, it can cause irreversible damage and tooth loss.
Proceeding Gum Disease / Periodontitis is Gingivitis. Gingivitis is caused by the build-up of plaque and tartar. This irritates your gums and causes them to become inflamed and swollen. This often results in your gums bleeding when you brush your teeth. Gingivitis can be reversed leaving little to no long-lasting effects. Left untreated, Gingivitis often advances to Peridontitis. Symptoms of Gingivitis and Gum Disease / Peridontitis include:
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Red, swollen or tender gums
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Gums that bleed during and after brushing
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Receding gumline
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Gum soreness
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Bad breath
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Loose or shifting teeth
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Unexplained tooth loss
Proper identification and treatment of Gingivitis are important to ensure it does not progress into Gum Disease / Peridontitis. Periodontitis is a very serious condition that needs to be treated as soon as possible to avoid tooth loss. Periodontitis can also increase your risk of stroke, heart disease, diabetes or other health conditions.
What is involved with the cleaning?
Once we’ve completed your dental examination, we’ll proceed with a professional clean. Using specialised tools, we’ll complete a thorough clean to remove any stubborn plaque and tartar (calculus) that may have built up. Once plaque becomes tartar, it can’t be removed with brushing alone so it’s important that you see us to take care of them. Often, this build-up will be between your teeth and on the inside-face of your teeth which are areas you can’t normally see.
We then polish your teeth to remove any stains that may not have been removed during the cleaning process and apply fluoride to protect your teeth. This will have you leaving with that fresh mouth feeling!
How is Gum Disease Treated?
It is important to note that gingivitis can be reversed while the progression of gum disease can only be stopped. Our experienced dentists will determine which stage you are in to ensure they have the right treatment plan for you.
Often in early stages, effective treatment may be as simple as a comprehensive scale and clean. This is a deep clean where we remove all the plaque and tartar from both above and below the gumline using our specialised tooths. If required, root planing may be required. This is when your dentist will smooth rough spots (and any bacteria) to provide your gums with a smooth, clean surface to reattach to.
These are both non-surgical and non-invasive procedures and require minimal healing time. If your gum disease is more progressed, more complex surgical treatments may be required. If this is required, your dentist will inform you and investigate and discuss all the different types of treatment with you (from flap surgery, soft tissue grafts, etc) and will help you determine the right solution for the best outcome.
