Gum treatment

Deep cleaning and, where needed, gum surgery stop gum disease and protect the bone that holds your teeth.

Gum disease starts quietly. Plaque, a sticky film of bacteria, builds up along the gum line. If it isn’t removed, it hardens into tartar and the gums become inflamed: red, swollen and bleeding when you brush. This stage is called gingivitis and can be reversed. If it continues, the inflammation reaches the bone and fibres that hold the teeth, pockets form between gum and tooth, and the bone is slowly lost. This is periodontitis. Teeth loosen and, in the end, can be lost.

Who it’s for

See a dentist about your gums if you notice:

  • bleeding when you brush or floss
  • red, swollen or tender gums
  • gums pulling back so that teeth look longer
  • bad breath or a bad taste that doesn’t go away
  • teeth that feel loose or have moved

Gum health matters before any other treatment. Gum disease is treated before implants, crowns or veneers, because inflamed gums change shape as they heal and raise the risk of implant failure.

How it’s done

The examination measures the pockets around each tooth and a panoramic X-ray shows the bone level. From these the dentist decides the treatment.

  • Scaling and polishing removes plaque and tartar above the gum line. This is often enough for gingivitis.
  • Deep cleaning (root planing) removes tartar and bacteria from the root surfaces below the gum, under local anaesthesia, usually one half of the mouth at a time.
  • Gum surgery may be needed for deep pockets that don’t heal after deep cleaning, sometimes with a bone graft.
  • Gum grafts can cover exposed roots where the gum has receded.
  • Gum contouring reshapes an uneven gum line, usually as part of a smile makeover.

Most patients from abroad need one to three days for a deep clean. Surgery takes longer and is planned individually.

Afterwards

Gums can be sore and teeth sensitive for a few days after a deep clean. Some gaps between teeth may look slightly larger once the swelling settles. What happens at home decides whether the treatment lasts: brushing twice a day, cleaning between the teeth with interdental brushes every day, and not smoking. People who have had periodontitis need check-ups and professional cleaning more often than others, usually every three to six months.

Risks and alternatives

After treatment the gums may sit slightly lower on the teeth, and roots may be sensitive to cold. Gum surgery carries the usual risks of minor surgery: swelling, bleeding and infection. Without treatment, gum disease is one of the main reasons adults lose teeth.

Which option suits your teeth?

Send photos or an X-ray and we’ll write, tooth by tooth, what we recommend and why.

Get my treatment plan

Questions and answers

My gums bleed often. Why?

Bleeding is usually the first sign of gum disease, caused by bacterial plaque that hardens into tartar if it isn’t removed. Left untreated, the bone around the teeth is lost and the teeth loosen. Healthy gums don’t bleed when you brush.

Why do you treat my gums before veneers or implants?

Inflamed gums bleed, swell and recede. Crowns and veneers fitted on unhealthy gums can end up with visible edges once the gums settle, and implants placed in a mouth with active gum disease are more likely to fail.

Can receding gums grow back?

Not by themselves. Treatment stops further recession, and in suitable cases a gum graft can cover exposed roots again.

Is bad breath linked to gum disease?

Often. Bad breath usually comes from plaque on the teeth and tongue, gum disease or decay, and sometimes from a general health problem. The examination usually finds the cause.