Gum disease is a very common condition where the gums become swollen, sore or infected.
Most adults in the UK have gum disease to some degree and most people experience it at least once. It’s much less common in children.
If you have gum disease, your gums may bleed when you brush your teeth and you may have bad breath. This early stage of gum disease is known as gingivitis.
If gingivitis isn’t treated, a condition called periodontitis can develop. This affects more tissues that support teeth and hold them in place.
If periodontitis isn’t treated, the bone in your jaw may be damaged and small spaces can open up between the gum and teeth. Your teeth can become loose and may eventually fall out.
Symptoms of gum disease:
Healthy gums should be pink, firm and keep your teeth securely in place. Your gums shouldn’t bleed when you touch or brush them. Gum disease isn’t always painful and you may be unaware you have it. It’s important to have regular dental check-ups.
Early symptoms: The initial symptoms of gum disease can include:
• red and swollen gums
• bleeding gums after brushing or flossing your teeth
This stage of gum disease is called gingivitis.
Advanced symptoms: If gingivitis is untreated, the tissues and bone that support the teeth can also become affected. This is known as periodontitis, or periodontal disease.
Symptoms of periodontitis can include:
• bad breath (halitosis)
• an unpleasant taste in your mouth
• loose teeth that can make eating difficult
• gum abscesses (collections of pus that develop under your gums or teeth)
Acute necrotising ulcerative gingivitis: In rare cases, a condition called acute necrotising ulcerative gingivitis (ANUG) can develop suddenly. The symptoms of ANUG are usually more severe than those of gum disease and can include:
• bleeding, painful gums
• painful ulcers
• receding gums in between your teeth
• bad breath
• a metallic taste in your mouth
• excess saliva in your mouth
• difficulty swallowing or talking
• a high temperature (fever)
What causes gum disease?
Gum disease is caused by a build-up of plaque on the teeth. Plaque is a sticky substance that contains bacteria.
Some bacteria in plaque are harmless, but some are harmful for the health of your gums. If you don’t remove plaque from your teeth by brushing them, it builds up and irritates your gums. This can lead to redness with bleeding, swelling and soreness.
Who are at risk: As well as poor oral hygiene, a number of things can increase your risk of developing problems with your gums. These include:
• smoking – Smoking is one of the most significant risk factors for gum disease. Giving up smoking can greatly improve your oral hygiene.
• your age – gum disease becomes more common as you get older
• a family history of gum disease
• diabetes – a lifelong condition that causes a person’s blood sugar levels to become too high
• a weakened immune system – for example, because of conditions such as HIV and AIDS or certain treatments, such as chemotherapy
• malnutrition – a condition that occurs when a person’s diet does not contain the right amount of nutrients
• stress
Seeing your dentist
You should make an appointment to see your dentist if your gums are painful, swollen or if they bleed when you brush your teeth.
Your dentist can carry out a thorough dental examination to check the health of your gums, which may involve inserting a thin metal stick with a bend in one end (periodontal probe) beside your teeth.
In some cases, a number of x-rays may be needed to check the condition of your teeth and jaw bone.
Preventing and treating gum disease
Mild cases of gum disease can usually be treated by maintaining a good level of oral hygiene. This includes brushing your teeth at least twice a day and flossing regularly. Antiseptic mouthwashes containing chlorhexidine or hexetidine are available over the counter from pharmacies. However, there’s some debate about whether using mouthwash is necessary for people with healthy gums.
Your dentist may recommend using mouthwash if it helps control the build-up of plaque (the sticky substance that forms when bacteria collects on the surface of your teeth). Your dentist will be able to advise you about which type of mouthwash is most suitable and how to use it.
You should also make sure you attend regular dental check-ups.
In most cases, your dentist or dental hygienist will be able to give your teeth a thorough clean and remove any hardened plaque (tartar). They’ll also be able to show you how to clean your teeth effectively to help prevent plaque building up in the future.
If you have severe gum disease, you’ll usually need to have further medical and dental treatment and, in some cases, surgery may need to be carried out. This will usually be performed by a specialist in gum problems (periodontics).
Complications of gum disease
If you have untreated gum disease that develops into periodontitis, it can lead to further complications, such as:
• gum abscesses (painful collections of pus)
• receding gums
• loose teeth
• loss of teeth
(every article has this section, it will have up to three relevant products. Can it be done in a different coloured font … as a separate text box … maybe we can put this on the side or insert somewhere in middle or put it at the end)
Relevant dental products:
• Link to toothbrush
• Link to denture cleaning products
• Link to interdental cleaning brushes
• Link to Dental and oral medications
• Link to mouthwash