Gum Disease London

Thanks to the structural damage it can do to your jawbone and gum tissue, most implantologists will not fit dental implants in patients living with gum disease without completed periodontal treatment. 

However, they aren’t being unnecessarily harsh – periodontal disease is one of the biggest factors that leads to implant failure. So, you need to get it sorted before you rectify your tooth loss with a permanent solution. 

For more information, book a consultation at a date and time that suits you best and we’ll help you gain an understanding of the health of your mouth. 

To prevent periodontal disease, it is so important to see a dental hygienist regularly and follow a thorough dental care routine.

A dental hygienist will be able to properly remove hardened plaque, which cannot be removed by brushing and flossing alone and can aid the development of harmful periodontal disease.

Our dental team recommends that you visit the hygienist for a comprehensive clean around four times a year (every three months).

It’s also important to maintain your oral health at home with a good home care routine. 

1. First, use a Waterpik and/or floss between the teeth to remove plaque. 
2. Next, with an appropriate toothpaste, brush your teeth, gums, and tongue. 

We recommend an electric toothbrush, held at a 45-degree angle, making sure not to rinse your mouth and remove leftover fluoride. You should maintain your oral health at home at least twice a day, as a minimum.

For help keeping oral decay at bay, why not book a preventative dentistry hygiene appointment today? 

When your gums are chronically inflamed, the bacteria can enter your bloodstream and spread to other parts of your body, and have been linked to:

• Heart disease

If you have gum disease, you’re at an increased risk of having a heart attack – treating gum disease in its earliest stages can help to lower your risk.

• Diabetes

Having diabetes – especially poorly controlled diabetes – makes you more at risk of developing gum disease, since diabetics are more susceptible to contracting infections.  

• Arthritis

If you already suffer from arthritis, eliminating gum disease can potentially lessen the crippling effects. Plus, emerging research also strongly suggests that having gum disease may increase the likelihood of developing arthritis in the first place. 

• Premature labour and low birth weights

Women with gum disease are seven to eight times more likely to give birth prematurely to babies with low birth weights if they have gum disease.

• Alzheimer’s

Evidence shows that those with gum disease could be at higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s. Likewise, those living with periodontal disease and Alzheimer’s may also experience a faster rate of decline, lowering their quality of life faster. 

• Smoking 

People who smoke and those exposed to second-hand smoke are at a higher risk of developing gum disease. 

This is because it lowers healing, the smoke affects your gums directly, and nicotine makes it easier for the harmful bacteria in your mouth to cause inflammation, making gum disease more difficult to treat. 

• Obesity

When you’re overweight, your body overproduces inflammatory mediators. Some of these make it easier for gum disease to develop and progress. 

In other words, it’s important that gum disease is treated properly and quickly, and good oral health is restored.

Call the practice today on 020 7722 1235 if you have any of the symptoms below to be assessed by our dentist or hygienists for gum disease.

To prevent gum disease it is so important to have regular hygiene appointments and dental check-ups. 

The hygienist removes hardened plaque, which forms over time above and below the gums and cannot be removed by brushing and flossing alone. Our dental team recommend that you visit the hygienist for a comprehensive clean four times a year (every three months).

It’s also important to maintain your oral health at home with a good home care routine. First, use a Waterpik and/or floss between the teeth to remove plaque. Next, with toothpaste brush your teeth, gums and tongue. We recommend an electric toothbrush and to hold it at a 45 degree angle. You should maintain your oral health at home by using a floss between the teeth to remove plaque, and brushing well twice a day.

Book a consultation at The London Centre for Cosmetic Dentistry right away if you notice any of the following:

• Red, swollen or tender gums
• Pain or sores in your mouth
• Bleeding of the gums while brushing, flossing or eating
• Persistent bad breath
• Gums that are receding (pulling away) from the teeth, making the teeth look longer
• Loose or separating teeth

Call the practice today on 020 7722 1235 if you have any of the symptoms below to be assessed by our dentist or hygienists for gum disease:

If one of our consultants diagnoses you with gum disease, they will work to stop the condition in its tracks by removing bacteria from the infected pockets between the teeth and the gums. This will be achieved via thorough and frequent dental check-ups at the practice, and your entire treatment plan will be explained to you in detail.

There are a number of serious conditions that can be linked to gum disease. We’ve broken these down below…

Heart Disease
If you have gum disease, you’re at an increased risk of having a heart attack. When your gums are inflamed, bacteria can enter the bloodstream and attach to the blood platelets, causing them to cluster. These clusters can lodge inside the walls of the blood vessels causing clots to form, which leads to heart disease. Treating gum disease in its earliest stages can help to lower your risk.

Diabetes
Having diabetes makes you more at risk of developing gum disease, since diabetics are more susceptible to contracting infections.  People who don’t have their diabetes under control are even more at risk. Elimination of the gum inflammation can reduce the likelihood of you developing the serious complications associated with diabetes.

Arthritis
If you already suffer from arthritis, eliminating gum disease can potentially lessen the crippling effects. Emerging research also strongly suggests that having gum disease may increase the likelihood of developing arthritis. One study showed that the bacteria that causes gum disease can also cause the worsening of collagen-induced arthritis in mice.  

Preterm Births
Women with gum disease are seven to eight times more likely to give birth prematurely to babies with low birth weights. Researchers believe that gum disease causes the body to release inflammatory chemicals that are linked to preterm births.

Smoking
People who smoke tobacco products are at a higher risk of developing gum disease. Not only does the smoke in your mouth affect your gums, but nicotine makes it easier for the harmful bacteria in your mouth to cause inflammation, making gum disease more difficult to treat. The heat from a cigarette can act as a vasoconstrictor, which can conceal the early symptoms of gum disease, such as bleeding. Emerging research also suggests that second hand smoke can increase the risk of developing gum disease.  

Obesity
Research has shown that obesity is a strong risk factor for gum disease. When you’re overweight, your body over-produces inflammatory mediators. Some of these make it easier for gum disease to develop and progress. Obesity is also a risk factor for many chronic conditions including heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, gallstones, breathing problems and certain cancers.