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Why Your Gum Health Is So Important to Us

When many people hear the word ‘dentist’, they automatically think about teeth. While we care about your teeth, gum health is equally, if not more important. Periodontal (gum) health impacts your systemic health. It is an inflammatory disease and is linked to other diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and dementia.

The first sign of gum inflammation is gingivitis, which presents as swollen, red and bleeding gums. This is reversible with regular brushing and interdental cleaning and regular hygiene visits. If gingivitis progresses and is left untreated, it can lead to periodontal disease, which is loss of bone around your teeth. This is irreversible, as the bone does not grow back. The result is that your teeth become loose and can be lost completely.

The cost to replace these missing teeth can be substantial. Periodontal disease can be slowed down and your bone height maintained by seeing a gum specialist, periodontist regularly.

At Woodborough House Dental Practice, we have a periodontics expert in our midst. A registered specialist in periodontics with the General Dental Council, Dr Kuljeet Mehta is highly experienced at providing the care and support needed to ensure periodontitis is something you can avoid.

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What Are the Signs of Gum Disease?

There are several symptoms of gum disease that you should keep an eye out for. These include:

  • Red, swollen, bleeding, or receding gums
  • Gum inflammation
  • Bad breath (halitosis)
  • Unpleasant taste in your mouth
  • Increased gum size
  • Periodontal pockets (these are gaps that form in your gums when they move away from your teeth)
  • Bone loss in your jaw
  • Peri-implantitis (this occurs when the tissue surrounding a dental implant becomes inflamed)

If you have one or more of these symptoms, making an appointment with Kuljeet will allow us to change the course of your periodontitis.

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Root Planing

There are some parts of the tooth that are impossible to clean using a toothbrush. These are just below the gumline. While you might not be able to get your toothbrush in there, plaque and tartar can quite easily build up down there.

We use a technique called root planing to scale the depths of your teeth’s roots and clean the pockets in the gums, preventing bone loss.

To achieve the best possible results, we recommend that this treatment be carried out regularly. When we carry out a periodontal consultation, we’ll also give you advice on helping maintain the best standard of dental hygiene above the gumline to complement the root planing procedure.

Don’t Let Your Gums Become an Afterthought

To book a consultation with Dr Kuljeet Mehta, get in touch today.

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