Periodontics& GumDisease
Best Periodontists, Harley Street
Our experienced periodontists in Harley Street can help you treat gum disease and maintain a beautiful smile. The earlier you start your hygiene and periodontal care, the better the outcome. We will work alongside you to help prevent serious damage to your mouth, teeth and gums.
What is periodontology?
What is periodontology?
Periodontology is the treatment of periodontitis, which is also known as gum disease. Gum disease is one of the most common causes of tooth loss in adults as it destroys the gum tissue and the bone that surrounds and supports the teeth. When you visit our specialist periodontists in Harley Street, we will try to get a picture of your overall oral health and work with you to try to improve it.
Our periodontists proudly provide a wide range of gum disease treatments at our practice in London. We strive to keep your teeth and gums healthy, helping you to maintain excellent oral health for life. Our periodontic treatments provide the highest level of care, achieving the best possible results for your smile.
What is gum disease?
Periodontal disease is a serious infection that impacts the areas surrounding your teeth, such as the gums, bone and cementum that covers the roots and ligaments.
People are often unaware they have gum disease because it is not painful and doesn’t affect their daily life. There are often no signs or symptoms. If your gum disease is left untreated, the impact can be serious. Failing to treat your gum disease can result in damage to the bone and tissue that support the teeth. It could even result in tooth loss.
As your dedicated specialist gum periodontists in London, we are able to detect signs of disease early to stop them from worsening.
You may have gum disease if…
If you notice any of the following signs or symptoms, you may have gum disease:
- Bad breath
- Swollen gums
- Discomfort
- Bleeding gums
- Irritated or itchy gums
- Loose teeth
- Receding gums
Please book an appointment at our Harley Street practice if you are experiencing symptoms of gum disease.
Types of gum disease
There are different forms of gum disease, but the most common are gingivitis and periodontitis.
Gingivitis is inflammation of the superficial soft tissue supporting the tooth, leading to swelling, redness, and bleeding. Gingivitis is a prerequisite for periodontitis.
Whilst not all cases of gingivitis will progress to periodontitis, managing the former is a vital primary preventative strategy for the latter. Periodontitis involves the deeper supporting structures including bone destruction. Sadly, this bone destruction is generally irreversible.
Gingivitis is reversible and may be treated with the help of hygiene sessions and improved oral hygiene. Our Harley Street periodontists are able to work with you to keep your teeth and gums in the best condition with continuous preventative care.
What contributes to gingivitis and periodontitis?
Dental bacterial plaque is the major determinant of gingivitis and periodontitis. However, a number of factors can contribute to and aggravate the conditions, including:
- Smoking
- Genetic susceptibility
- Medications that reduce saliva
- Diabetes
- Stress such as lack of sleep, mental health and alcohol
- Nutritional deficiencies- like calcium and vitamin C and B
What is the treatment for gum disease?
Cleaning
Our specialist gum dentists will always aim to prevent your gum disease from becoming too severe to treat. This usually involves preventative measures like deep cleaning. If you have early signs of gum disease, such as gingivitis, one of our periodontists in London will begin by cleaning your teeth. This is also known as scaling and root planing, which begins with a deep clean using an electric toothbrush, gritty toothpaste and specialist instruments called scalers. This helps to remove the tartar from the gum line and bacteria from the tooth root. Extensive scaling may be recommended by our gum specialists if your gingivitis has developed into periodontitis. This may require a local anaesthetic.
Surgery
If your gum disease is moderate to advanced, you may be referred to a specialist periodontist who will assess you for surgery. The surgical treatments for gum disease could include:
- Soft tissue grafts – to repair receding gums and help to protect the gum line
- Crown lengthening – exposes more tooth structure and enables the dentist to remove decay
- Regenerative procedures – regenerates lost bone and soft tissue, reversing damage
- Pocket reduction procedures – folds back gum tissue and removes bacteria
Medication
Medications may be prescribed in conjunction with a deep cleaning treatment. Antibiotics alone are not considered an effective way of treating periodontitis but are still used as therapeutic adjuncts in severe cases of gum disease. Your dentist may also recommend an antiseptic mouthwash which will help to control the build-up of plaque around the teeth.
Gum disease aftercare
We advise regular check-ups with our Harley Street dentists who will be able to consistently monitor your oral health. Our experienced dentists will be able to help you prevent any recurrences of gum disease. Professional cleaning sessions with our hygienists can also help to deter plaque build-up, which in turn helps to prevent gum disease.
To take care of your gums, we recommend maintaining good oral health at home. Make sure to brush twice a day and include flossing and fluoride mouthwash in your routine.
Are you experiencing signs of gum disease? Get in touch with our friendly team today. Call us on 020 3885 1420 to book an appointment with one of our specialist gum periodontists in London.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are three main stages of gum disease.
- Gingivitis – early-stage symptoms, including gum inflammation and sensitivity.
- Periodontitis – irreversibly damaged gums but preventative measures are recommended to preserve remaining gum health
- Advanced periodontitis – gums are in an irreversible condition with tooth loss.
Gingivitis is reversible. It is possible to completely restore the health of your gums with early-stage gum disease. Our specialist gum periodontists in London will work alongside you to help prevent your gum disease from worsening.
The loss of periodontal support may lead to the migration of a single tooth or a group of teeth, eventually causing conditions such as:
- Rotation
- Over-eruption
- Spacing
- Loss of teeth
- Traumatic bite
Orthodontic treatment (braces) can be used to improve the aesthetics, function and periodontal health of a person’s dentition. Properly aligned teeth are easier to clean and promote healthier periodontal tissue.
Some studies have found that there is an improvement in the periodontium due to less plaque accumulation on the orthodontically uprighted teeth. A systematic review concluded that subjects with malocclusion have worse periodontal health than those without malocclusion. However, there is a lack of evidence to suggest that orthodontic treatment may prevent periodontal problems.
Periodontitis must be treated before orthodontic treatment can begin.
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