Gum disease is a very common condition where your gums become swollen, sore or infected.
Lots of adults in Ireland have some amount of gum disease, and most people experience it at least once. It's much less common in children.
Gingivitis
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 is not treated, a condition called periodontitis can develop. This affects the tissues that support teeth and hold them in place.
Periodontitis
If periodontitis is not treated, the bone in your jaw may become damaged. This can lead to small spaces opening up between the gum and teeth.
Your teeth can become loose and may eventually fall out.
Causes of 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 others are harmful. If you do not 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.
Non-urgent advice: Contact your dentist if your gums are:
- painful
- swollen
- bleed when you brush your teeth
Your dentist can carry out a thorough dental examination to check the health of your gums. Sometimes they do x-rays to check your teeth and jaw bone.
Preventing and treating gum disease
You can usually treat mild gum disease by improving your oral hygiene.
Good oral hygiene includes:
- brushing your teeth at least twice a day
- flossing regularly
- regular dental check-ups
Your dentist or dental hygienist will clean your teeth and remove any hardened plaque (tartar or calculus).
They may also show you how to clean your teeth effectively. This will help prevent plaque building up in the future.
If you have severe gum disease, you may need further medical and dental treatment.
This can include surgery. The surgery is usually done by a specialist in gum problems (periodontist).
Dental check-ups
It's important to have regular dental check-ups. This is so any problems with your teeth and gums can be detected and treated early.
If you have never had gum disease and have good oral health, you may only need to visit your dentist every 1 to 2 years for a check-up.
You may need to visit your dentist more often if you had problems with gum disease in the past. Your dentist will suggest when to have your next visit.
You may also need more regular check-ups if you have an increased risk of developing gum problems.
Complications of gum disease
If gum disease is not treated, it can develop into periodontitis. This is when gum disease extends to affect the deeper gums and bone supporting the teeth. This can lead to further complications.
These include:
- gum abscess
- receding gums
- loose teeth
- loss of teeth
Content supplied by the NHS and adapted for Ireland by the HSE
