Signs of gum disease from our dentist

At the Linda Greenwall practice, our dentist in Hampstead is big on prevention. The prevention of tooth decay, gum disease and tooth loss.

Let's have a look at some of the most common symptoms of gum disease and how our team can help you.

Bleeding gums

This is one of the most well-known indicators of gum disease.

If your gums bleed when you brush your teeth, bleed when you eat food or just bleed intermittently throughout the day, then it is likely that you have gum disease and need to see our team.

Our dentist in Hampstead can offer you a deep clean to remove the offending plaque and if needed, we can book you in for an appointment with our hygienist too. This will help you to keep bleeding gums at bay and to maintain a higher level of oral health. We may also be able to offer you a medicated mouthwash, which will neutralise bacteria and prevent the recurrence of gum disease.

Persistent bad breath

Another sign of gum disease is the presence of unremitting bad breath.

This is caused by the excess bacteria that is present in your mouth; as they break down the enamel, they release an odour, which causes the breath associated with gum disease and halitosis - and impacting overall dental hygiene. It may also be caused by the excess amount of blood in your mouth, which is due to the bleeding gums.

If you come to see us and have bad breath, we will aim to remove all of the bacteria and to prevent any more from adhering to your teeth. We may offer you toothpaste that is targeted towards killing this bacteria, which will help to reduce the odours and the associated damage.

Swollen gums

When you have too much plaque and tartar in your mouth, your body’s inflammatory response is triggered, causing the gums to swell up, become inflamed and often sore to touch.

Swollen gums caused by gum disease may appear darker in colour and, depending on the severity of the gum disease, they may also feel tender when you eat food.

In cases like this, we may be able to offer you a scale and polish, alongside targeted dental products such as toothpaste and mouthwash, to reduce the inflammation and help you to feel more comfortable when eating food or brushing your teeth.

Wobbly teeth

One of the later stages of gum disease includes the wobbling and loss of teeth.

If you notice that one of your teeth moves when you touch it, or that one of your teeth has fallen out, there is still hope.

We can anchor or splint the wobbling tooth or teeth to nearby healthy teeth which have not succumbed to the effects of the gum disease yet. But before this, we will need to ensure that the gum disease itself is under control and will offer you cleaning sessions and antibacterial dental products to help reduce the level of bacteria in your mouth.

If you have concerns that either you or a family member may be suffering from gum disease, feel free to contact our dentist in Hampstead.