The first page of James Joyce’s nigh-on impenetrable masterpiece ‘Finnegans Wake’ features a made up word, stretching over three lines of text, which supposedly mimics the symbolic thunderclap that sounded at the fall of Adam and Eve. Unfortunately, gum disease does not announce itself in such a grand fashion. Thankfully, treating gum disease isn’t quite as perplexing as the work of Mr. Joyce either.

Early signs

Gum disease is very common and nothing to be ashamed of. It’s also a leading cause of tooth loss and well worth looking out for. Early symptoms include red, sensitive or inflamed gums and gums that bleed post-brushing or flossing. Spotting the symptoms this early can save you a lot of hassle as gingivitis, the earliest stage of gum disease, is easy to reverse. The cause of gingivitis is plaque irritating your gums. If you remove the plaque, you remove the problem! Your gums will then easily recover.

Types of periodontitis

Sadly, gum disease isn’t always caught in its early stages. The later stages, known as periodontitis, come in a variety of complex forms. Aggressive periodontitis, for instance, tends to occur in people who, outside of untreated gingivitis, have pretty good oral health. The symptoms of aggressive periodontitis include an enlargement of the gum pockets. This, in turn, can affect surrounding bone tissue. Chronic periodontitis is the most common form of advanced gum disease. It causes the inflammation of supporting tooth tissue and can eventually lead to tooth loss. This form of gum disease needs immediate treatment! Necrotizing periodontal disease is the most severe form of gum disease and will probably require surgery. Periodontitis generally produces these symptoms: foul breath, teeth becoming loose, difficulty eating and the development of pus between the teeth.

Treatment

Gingivitis can often be treated with scaling and root planning (these involve a thorough cleaning of the surface and roots of your teeth). An antiseptic mouthwash might be suggested to help prevent more plaque forming. In rare and extreme circumstances, surgery might be required. In some scenarios, teeth may need to be removed. For more information on gum disease treatment please contact the team at Harley Street Dental Studio in the heart of London.