Port East Building Hertsmere Road Canary Wharf London E14 4AE
Gums, or gingiva, are the soft tissues that surround the lower margins of teeth and cover the jawbone.
Gum health is an essential part of keeping your mouth and teeth healthy and strong. One of the leading causes of missing teeth is gum disease, which can affect adults of any age.
Gum disease (or periodontal disease) treatment is the deep cleaning of the gums over multiple appointments. Typical treatments include the scaling of the teeth to remove plaque and calculus build-up and bacteria above and under the gums. Additional treatments such as prescription mouthwashes may be given if needed.
The dental professionals at Platinum Dental Care can work with you to find a solution to any gum issues you may be experiencing.
Who needs periodontal treatment?
A patient experiencing the symptoms of gum disease such as gum inflammation, bone loss or bleeding gums while eating or brushing should see their dentist for a thorough investigation and diagnosis.
What causes periodontal disease?
Periodontal disease is primarily caused by bacteria within the plaque, which if not removed with adequate cleaning can infect the gums. Infected gums (gingivitis) are swollen, red, painful and may bleed. If this condition is not treated and oral hygiene doesn't improve the number of bacteria grow at and below the gum level. The gums begin to detach from the tooth (pocketing) and over time, the gums and bone progressively shrink (recession). During this process, the support around the teeth diminishes making them loose and eventually leading to tooth loss.
Smoking and diabetes are contributing factors to gum disease.
Gum disease is preventable and treatable with the right advice and treatment from our dental experts.
What is involved in periodontal treatment?
Once periodontal disease has been diagnosed by your dentist, you may be treated by either a dentist, hygienist or dental therapist. First, your oral hygiene and gum health will be thoroughly assessed and recorded. Areas which have gum pocketing and inflammation will require deep scaling under the gums, and to avoid discomfort, an anaesthetic will be placed prior to starting treatment.
Once the areas are fully numb, the clinician will carefully clean the gums and root surfaces with special ultrasonic or hand instruments. They may also use an antibacterial solution during or after the treatment.
Once treatment is completed, customised oral hygiene instructions will be given to allow appropriate healing and maintenance of the treated areas. Depending on the location and severity of the disease, more than one appointment of periodontal treatment may be needed as part of your initial periodontal treatment plan.
Research shows that gums take 8-12 weeks to show signs of healing, and so follow up appointments will be booked at 2 or 3 months.
If you have been diagnosed with severe periodontal disease in any part of your mouth, or there has not been adequate healing after several periodontal treatments over 9-12 months, your clinician may refer you to a periodontal specialist.
What can I expect after my treatment?
You may expect some discomfort immediately and for a few days after you have had periodontal treatment. However, this will progressively improve.
Continue to perform your customised oral hygiene regime and over a 12 week period you should see the following improvements in your gums:
You may have follow up appointments booked for additional treatment to prevent further gum disease and to maintain your gum health.
How can I prevent periodontal disease?
What are common gum problems?
While these common gum issues range in severity, they can often be treated with the help of a dentist and oral hygienist. At Platinum Dental Care, we offer a full range of gum treatments, ranging from preventative care to treatment of the disease and maintenance
What are the signs of gum disease?
Some symptoms of gum disease may include:
What are the common gum hygiene treatments?
Common treatments your dentist may recommend include a superficial/deep scaling and root surface cleaning. The treatment prescribed and the number of appointments you need will depend on your diagnosis.
Root planing, also referred to as deep cleaning, consists of a deep clean under the gumline by a dental professional to remove any plaque or tartar from the root surface. This rids the gumline of the harmful bacteria that has accumulated. The gums will then re-adhere to some degree to the newly cleaned surface of the tooth, sealing out further bacterial accumulation.
After you and your dentist have chosen a treatment plan, you will need to schedule appointments, so your hygienist can treat and then monitor your progress and plan your maintenance.
Can gum disease be prevented?
The development of gum diseases is often slow and does not become entirely apparent until the gums are already swollen and painful, putting your teeth at risk. The best way to prevent gum disease is to schedule regular visits to your dentist or oral hygienist for consistent dental health maintenance.
Other preventative measures include:
What should healthy gums look like?
Healthy gums are pink and firm. They rest closely against the base of your teeth, forming a seal to keep bacteria from becoming lodged between the teeth and the gums.
The dental professionals at Platinum Dental Care can answer any gum hygiene questions you may have. Contact them for more information or to book an appointment.
What happens if the pockets don’t heal after scaling and root planing?
If the pockets don’t heal, you may require a referral to a periodontal specialist.
What aftercare treatment will I need?
Your dentist/hygienist may recommend more frequent hygiene appointments to help keep your gum disease under control. Practice good oral hygiene at home and consume a healthy diet.
Very much recommend. First time going to Platinum for a dental cleaning and was very happy at the speed and professionalism of the service. Previously going to BUPA and felt that the experience was a notch better. Very easy online booking system. The Hygienist, Priya…
I came to get my teeth cleaned and couldn't be happier with Camilla's work! She made me feel calm and relaxed, and her reassuring words put me at ease. I couldn't recommend her enough!
I've been very impressed with Platinum Dental Care from the outset. They are a warm and professional team with extreme technical proficiency – Ronnie in particular. On the rare occasion when I've had dental issue, they have always worked very hard to squeeze me in…
Platinum Dental Care is easily the friendliest, most professional and highest quality dentist in London. The whole team consistently does everything they can to make sure you get the best treatment possible. Their communication about appointments is always excellent and the practice is a warm…
I found Platinum Dental Care after relocating while mid-way on an implant treatment. Dr Marios was very patient and diligent on making it all work to perfection. And Dr Patel was amazing at finding and fixing issues before they became a problem. The practice is…
I was smiling when I walked in and left smiling when I walked out. Millie was professional, friendly and reassuring throughout the duration of my appointment. As a healthcare professional myself I really appreciated Millie's efforts to make sure I was okay throughout the procedure.…
Sarika is the best dentist. I have been with her for 2 years and cannot be happier with my teeth now
Big Thank you for Ana at the reception to go out of her way to get an appointment. Thank you for Nadia to be fantastic. The place is 4.9 star on google for a reason.
Highly recommend this place. I've been to a few other private dental practices in London - Bloomsbury, London Bridge and Moorgate, but this place is my favourite and I'd recommend this practice for both check ups and hygienist visits. They are thorough with their explanations…
Visited Yana the dental hygienist this morning. Brilliant service and lovely lady. Teeth squeaky clean and unlike some hygienists the procedure was not painful at all. Highly recommended.,
I would like to thank everyone from the reception team and also Yana the hygienist and above all Dental surgeon Dr Ronak Patel who always gave the best treatment possible and is kind and friendly manner always made it a pleasure to attend the practice…
Dr Ronak and Nadia Begum have been great since I've joined Platinum. They are very personable and do seem to really care. I feel in very safe and professional hands!
From making the appointment through to treatment the whole experience was beyond pleasant experience. The reception staff are very friendly and welcoming and Dr Sarika Shah is so polite and respectful. She had treated me with great dignity. I have never had such a thorough…
I have an unsightly chip on one of my front teeth from an accident in my teens. The original filling fell out 2 years ago, and I went to an NHS dentist that did a very rushed and poor quality job at patching it. Unsurprisingly,…
Last year I made the decision to start Invisalign treatment with Platinum Dental and it is one of the best decisions I have ever made. From the initial consultation to completion of the treatment Dr Sarika Shah was amazing at guiding me through the whole…
The staff were very friendly and helpful. Dr Patel was excellent with his diagnosis and treatment. I thoroughly recommend this practice.
"*" indicates required fields