Gum Care

Gum Care Melbourne

Gum Care treatment for Melbourne patients who want to take proper care of their oral heath

It is estimated that over 80% of people will experience varying degrees of gum disease at some point in their life. Gum disease is the main cause of tooth loss in adults, however when diagnosed early the condition can be reversed, returning you to optimal oral health.

Gum disease results from the accumulation of plaque, a sticky clear film that builds up on the surface of your tooth enamel, at and below the gum-line. When plaque is not removed effectively through your daily brushing and flossing routine it hardens into calculus, commonly known as tartar. Calculus is too hard to be removed by brushing and flossing.

As gum disease develops, your gums become red and swollen and bleed easily when you brush and floss, this is the first sign of gingivitis, constant bad breath is also common with gum disease.

The formation of calculus can cause your gums to pull away from your teeth; from which gum-pockets develop, this allows the accumulation of food particles and bacteria to build up in these pockets next to your tooth roots and can cause irreparable bone damage in its advanced stages, this then becomes known as periodontitis.

Why you want to avoid gum disease

One of the biggest concerns with developing gum disease is that it very rarely causes any pain, therefore can go unnoticed until it becomes a severe problem. Only through regular check-up appointments can we diagnose gum disease in its early stage and treat it before permanent damage to your bone and soft tissue or tooth loss occurs.

A procedure called root planning and scaling is performed using specially developed fine instruments to remove calculus from your teeth and below your gums smoothing the surface of your teeth, thereby making it more difficult for plaque to adhere to your tooth enamel.

There is also growing evidence to support studies conducted in Australia, Europe and United States, that indicate a distinct correlation between gum disease and other concerning health conditions including an increased risk of heart disease, type ll diabetes, stroke and low birth-weight babies. This is due to the bacterium from gum disease entering the bloodstream through microscopic cuts in the gums that occur when eating, brushing or flossing, this bacterium then adheres to plaque in the artery walls restricting blood flow, contributing to a heart attack or stroke.

Learn more about gum care in Melbourne

Depending upon your current oral health status, root planning and scaling appointments are recommended every six to twelve months. To schedule an assessment appointment with one of our team click here.