Gum disease

Gum disease is infection in the gums that causes bad breath, bleeding gums, toothache and even tooth-loss.

Symptoms of gum disease

Bleeding gums when brushing teeth is often the first symptom of gum disease. Bleeding, sore, inflamed gums are warning signs that the gums are becoming infected and you should immediately see a dentist. Tooth decay can be caused by gum disease so if you experience toothache, the cause of your tooth cavity may be gum disease.

Causes of gum disease

The most common form of gum disease and one of the main causes of bad breath is gingivitis, caused by a build up of bacteria in the gum pockets surrounding teeth. If left untreated gingivitis can develop into periodontis, an advanced form of gum disease.

Smoking is a major contributor to gum disease and smokers who suffer from gingivitis are likely to develop periodontal gum disease. Hormones affect the amount of bacteria your body produces and women are especially susceptible to  gum disease during the hormone changes of menopause and pregnancy.  Stress, medication and diabetes are all linked to increased cases of gum disease.

Types of gum disease

Gingivitis if left untreated can spread and become more damaging to the health of your teeth and gums.  The rapid spread of gingivitis is known as Aggressive Periodontitis and causes the gum 'pockets' holding the teeth in place to expand, allowing bacteria to settle into the gum. Aggressive Periodontis can cause the bone in the jaw to decay. If the jaw bone decays it becomes unable to support teeth which can lead to tooth loss.

Chronic Peridonitis is the most common form of advanced gum disease and causes the jaw bone to degrade and the tissue supporting teeth becomes infected. Chronic Peridonitis is a serious dental problems that requires immediate dental treatment.

Treatment for gum disease

Mild gum disease, such as gingivitis is often treatable with medication mouthwashes and a deep cleaning by dental hygienists. Peridonitis is a more serious form of gum disease that may lead tooth extraction if the gum becomes too weak to support the teeth. To treat severe peridontal gum disease, dentists will remove the infected gum tissue and may recommend soft tissue regeneration to repair the gum.

Types of surgery for gum disease

Pocket reduction surgery is dental treatment to remove any periodontis that has advanced below the gum tissue. Your dentist or dental surgeon will pull back the gum tissue to remove any bacteria trapped in the gum pockets. The jawbone may need to be recontoured if the disease has spread to the bone.

If the gum has started to recede or there is an overhang of gum caused by excess gum tissue, gum recontouring surgery will reshape the gum and prevent future problems.

Peridonitis often causes receding gums. Receding gum disease is where the gums retract and reveal more of the tooth root than is healthy for your dental hygiene. Replacing the missing tissue to secure the teeth in the gums and prevent the gums receding further is usually achieved by soft tissue grafts.

Severe gum disease, advanced or chronic peridonitis can cause bone loss. Bone grafts, using bone from another area of the patients body or a synthetic bone material will be used to replace the decaying jawbone and prevent further bone loss. Dentists frequently use a technique called guided tissue regeneration to stimulate bone growth in the jaw. Guided tissue regeneration encourages your body to regrow tissue and bone by convincing the body a new tooth is growing. 

Related guides

• Gum recontouring
• Soft tissue grafting

Other guides

• Dental Hygiene
• Childrens' Dentistry
• Common Dental Problems
• Teeth whitening
• Reconstructive dentistry
• Orthodontics
• Dental Implants
• Dental Crowns
• Cosmetic Dentistry
• Dental Veneers
• Dental Treatment in Mexico

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