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Nothing but the tooth

Gum Health

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Gum Health

Flossing

Sparkling clean teeth are not just beautiful to look at; they are healthier too. No matter how beautiful your smile, without healthy gums it won’t last.

Gum disease causes:

  • Bleeding gums
  • Tooth loss
  • Bad breath
  • a bad taste in your mouth
  • a higher risk of heart attacks, stroke, dementia, premature and stillbirth.

It makes it impossible to get a good result from treatment such as fillings and crowns for a multitude of technical reasons too. For this reason we won’t start any course of cosmetic or complex treatment until your gum health is good.

How to keep your gums healthy

There are two changes you can make that will do more to reduce your risk of gum disease than anything else.

  1. Give up Smoking
  2. Clean your teeth better than you do now

In order to help you achieve the second one, make sure you attend for all your recommended appointments with your hygienist.

Most people believe they are cleaning their teeth properly, but there’s a lot more to it than you think!

“Every Surface, Every Tooth, Every Day”

To achieve truly clean teeth and thus healthy gums, you should

  • Use an electric toothbrush. Manual toothbrushes never clean as thoroughly or efficiently.
  • Clean between and behind every single tooth with interdental brushes
  • Be methodical. Start in the same place and work round the mouth in the same order every day
  • Perform your cleaning regime every single day without fail

If you learn and implement the right techniques, tools and habits to clean properly, you’ll be delighted with how fresh and clean your mouth feels.

Treatment of gum disease

If you do ever develop gum disease, we can treat this in partnership with your home care regime by removing any tartar and overhanging filling edges which can trap plaque, and prescribing the correct tools and materials for you to use to help prevent it getting worse. Deeper cleaning is done using local anaesthetic so that you are comfortable during treatment. We will also measure your gums and give you a bleeding score to monitor your gum health. This way you will know if you are improving and can spot any areas that need further treatment.

"Four surprising mistakes you are probably making with your oral hygiene routine"

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What our patients say...

Gum Health FAQs

My teeth feel clean and my gums don’t bleed. Why do I need to come for checks?

Gum disease can appear at any age and certain types of disease are only detected by measurement of the gap between the tooth and gum by a trained dental professional. Although it is a good sign that you don’t have any bleeding, this does not guarantee that your gums are healthy, especially if you smoke.

What is dental plaque?

Plaque is a sticky deposit consisting of food, bacteria and proteins that forms on your teeth over time. Causing gum disease, infection and tooth decay, it is definitely a bad thing.

Why do my gums bleed when I brush my teeth?

The bacteria that live in plaque cause the gums to become inflamed. Inflamed gums are fragile, and bleeding when they are touched.

Can I use mouthwash to stop the bleeding?

No. Mouthwashes, even those marketed for people who spit blood when they brush, do not treat gum disease, nor do they remove the plaque and tartar that cause it. They have their place in dental treatment but only under the direction of your dentist or hygienist.

Will having a scale and polish damage the enamel of my teeth?

No. The instruments used to remove tartar do not damage the enamel. It is far more dangerous to leave tartar on the teeth, causing deterioration of the gum attachment to the teeth.

Does it hurt having gum treatment?

Removal of tartar, especially below the gum, can be quite painful if done without anaesthetic. We therefore routinely numb up the teeth that are having this kind of treatment. If your teeth are sensitive and you find routine scaling painful, we can use local anaesthetic, numbing gels, different instruments or techniques to make sure you are comfortable. Please make sure you let us know if you want any of these.

Does it hurt after having gum treatment?

If your gums are severely inflamed or you have active gum disease, your mouth may be sore for a while after deep cleaning or a longer scaling appointment. Use a softer toothbrush and avoid hard foods till it eases off. The good news is that if you continue with the programme of care and follow our oral hygiene advice the gums become healthier very quickly and any discomfort after future treatment is at a lower level and shorter lived.

Not sure whether the treatment is for you?

Book for a free no-obligation consultation to find our more. Just call us on 0121 382 8544 or make an enquiry using our online form.

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Six Month Smiles BACD - British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry British Dental Association The Oral Health Foundation GDC