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Gum disease, or periodontal disease, is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting the gums and bone supporting the teeth. It is one of the most wide-spread diseases in the world.
If left untreated, gum disease can lead to tooth loss and a poorer quality of life. Fortunately, gum disease is also preventable, and treatable if discovered early enough.
The early stages of periodontal disease may be pain-free and so patients may not be aware of any problems. Hence, it is important to have your dentist check for gum disease!
It is also good to be aware of the following "red-flags":
What causes gum disease?
Prevention is always better than cure. Generally, gum treatment cannot replace the support your teeth have already lost. You can do the following to prevent gum disease:
The main goal of treatment is to reduce bacteria around your teeth and prevent the gum disease from getting worse.
You will be taught how to clean around your teeth and gums properly. Treatment for gum disease will only work if you are able to do this well.
Deep cleaning around the teeth, usually performed under local anaesthesia, will also be done by your dentist or dental hygienist. This helps to remove bacteria below the gum line. The number of visits required will depend on the extent and severity of the gum disease.
Patients with more severe gum disease may be advised to undergo gum surgeries. This is done only after initial rounds of deep cleaning have been carried out to reduce bacteria and inflammation, and after the patient is able to clean his/her teeth to a high standard. You can obtain more information on these procedures from the pamphlet on Periodontal Surgery.
Finally, after the gum disease has been brought under control, you will continue to be seen at regular intervals so that we can help you maintain this stability and monitor for any disease recurrence. When no further specialist care is required, you will be discharged back to your private dentist or the polyclinics to continue your routine check-ups there.