Gum Disease (Periodontal Disease)

At Lonsdale Dental Centre we specialise in treating gum disease and have in-house Specialist Periodontists (gum specialists), Dr Pedja Pavlovic, Dr Divya Patel and Dr Federico Moreno.

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Gum disease or gingivitis means, quite literally inflammation of the gingivae or gums. Gum problems occur when there is inflammation or infection of the support tissues of the teeth.

 

There are two main forms of gum disease:

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• Gingivitis is when the gums are affected superficially.
   

• Periodontitis is when the deeper structures are affected such as the bone holding the teeth in place.
   

• Of the two conditions, periodontitis is the more severe disease, although long-standing gingivitis may lead to periodontitis.

 

If gingivitis is present, the gums will be red in colour rather than the usual healthy pink. They will also tend to be slightly puffy or swollen. Inflamed gums also bleed, usually when tooth brushing or biting into something such as an apple or even a banana. Gums may also bleed of their own accord, you may wake up in the morning with blood on your pillow. The major cause of gingivitis is dental plaque. Plaque is the soft sticky build-up of bacteria that collects on the tooth surfaces and other parts of the mouth. If the plaque is allowed to collect around the necks of the teeth (where the teeth meet the gums), the gums become inflamed and gingivitis can occur. Some of the plaque bacteria are harmful and can cause gum disease. Plaque can become hardened (mineralised) and form into a hard surface layer of tartar (calculus). The bacteria in the tartar continue to attack the tissues that support the tooth roots. You can prevent plaque and tartar formation by brushing thoroughly twice a day, ensuring the bristles gently touch the gum line. Cleaning in between your teeth with interdental brushes is also very important.

Gingivitis can affect anyone at any age, although it is less likely to be seen in younger children. Mild cases may go unnoticed for some time and there may be no symptoms during the early stages of the disease. However, if left untreated, gingivitis can gradually progress, resulting in the destruction of the tooth attachment and the bone around the teeth. This causes the affected tooth or teeth to become loose. It is best to visit a Dentist or Hygienist as soon as it is suspected that gingivitis is present so that treatment can begin promptly to prevent the condition from worsening. The Dentist or Hygienist will carry out a thorough examination and will treat the condition.

The first step is to make sure that your teeth are brushed regularly and effectively, and making sure that the toothbrush is applied correctly to the tooth gum margin at the neck of the tooth. A soft or medium bristled brush should be used, brush all the outside surfaces of the teeth and gums gently and thoroughly with a circular motion. Next, open the mouth and do the same to the inside surfaces of the top teeth and the inside surfaces of the lower teeth next to the tongue. Finally, brush all the biting surfaces, spit the toothpaste out but don’t rinse your mouth. If you spit blood into the basin this is a sign of gingivitis or periodontitis. Interdental brushes should be used daily to clean between the teeth where the toothbrush bristles cannot access. Your Hygienist can advise you further on your technique, your gum condition, and using an electric toothbrush.

The Dentist or Hygienist will also remove any hardened deposits in your mouth (tartar) that may be helping the plaque to congregate, for example, the tartar that collects behind the bottom front teeth (incisors) and the outsides of the upper cheek teeth (molars). The process of removing these hard deposits is known as scaling and may be carried out using hand instruments or with ultrasonic technology. The soft plaque and stain are removed with air-flow or perio-flow technology, this is the modern way of polishing teeth.

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Nutrition and Gum Disease

 

Gum disease in the forms of gingivitis and periodontal disease occur because the gums that hold your teeth stable and in place become inflamed. If left untreated, this will eventually lead to tooth mobility and tooth loss. Periodontal treatment will help to remove and reduce the unwanted bacteria that is triggering the gums to inflame, however inflammation is also prolonged and driven by our nutritional and health status so we may recommend you see our Nutritional Therapist, Annie Gill.

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So what’s driving the inflammation?

 

The obvious candidates are poor dietary choices such as high sugary and processed foods as well as smoking, stress, excessive weight and excess alcohol consumption.

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What you choose to eat plays a huge role in how well your immune system deals with inflammation. You may not be absorbing your food efficiently because you have low stomach acid and therefore you’re inadequately breaking your foods down. Or your digestive system may be inflamed, perhaps you suffer from IBS or IBD and therefore the nutrients just aren’t being absorbed into your system. Maybe you have experienced environmental stresses such as stress at work, or overuse of antibiotics and medications which have stripped away your healthy gut bacteria leaving your body ill equipped to effectively break down and absorb the nutrients from the foods you eat.

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For your body to work towards re-balance, your immune system will create inflammation in order to help fix the problem. This inflammation will occur not just in your mouth but also systematically around your body.

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So how can seeing a Nutritional Therapist help?

 

As a fully qualified Nutritional Therapist, Annie Gill can help identify the foods and digestive imbalances that are driving this inflammation, devise a Bespoke Nutritional Plan that responds to your symptoms and offer on-going support to help re-establish balance and reduce ‘inflammation’.

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Annie will help ensure your nutritional intake is balanced, i.e. that it contains the correct levels of Macronutrients and Micronutrients that will aid a reduction in inflammation. If required she will identify foods that stress your body, such as food intolerances, so you are less likely to become inflamed. Annie will guide you to nurture a balanced digestive terrain that will optimise your ability to absorb foods efficiently.

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​Healthy dietary choices as well as improvement in processing and absorbing your foods will dramatically decrease your risk of inflammation.