Dental Hygiene

Healthy Gums

To keep your gums healthy, you need to remove the daily build-up of plaque from all the surfaces of your teeth.

Healthy gums are:

• Pink in colour.

• No areas of redness or inflammation.

• No bleeding when brushing or flossing.

• No tenderness or discomfort.

If the daily plaque build-up is not removed, this can lead to the first stages of gum disease, ‘gingivitis’.

What is gingivitis?

Gingivitis is caused by sticky bacteria known as ‘plaque’. Plaque collects in the small gaps between the gums and the teeth and if not removed by regular cleaning will multiply by feeding on sugars found in your food and drink. This can lead to –

• Bleeding when brushing or flossing.

• Soreness or discomfort.

• Gums appear red, puffy or swollen.

Bleeding when tooth brushing or using inter-dental brushes is the earliest and most common sign of gingivitis. Gingivitis is reversible if treated by a hygienist or by improved brushing and inter-dental techniques. However, if left untreated, you will develop the later stages of gum disease, which is known as ‘periodontal disease’.

What is Periodontal Disease?

Periodontal disease is the later stage of gum disease. This is when the bacteria infection under the gums progresses deeper, affecting the bone and tissue supporting the tooth.

If left untreated:

• Gums are red, swollen and tender, and are prone to bleeding

• Bad breath.

• The gum will be pulled away from the tooth, called ‘pocketing’. This can result in loose teeth.

• Pus may be seen in the pockets around the tooth.

The infection damages the tissue that connects the gum to the roots of the tooth. Once the tissue has been destroyed, the gum pulls away from the tooth, which forms a pocket in which bacteria thrive. If not treated, in time, the bone anchoring the teeth in the jaw will dissolve, making the teeth loose, and eventually, the teeth will fall out.

Periodontal disease is irreversible, but you can slow down its progression by regular visits to the dentist and hygienist and by also improving your oral hygiene at home.