Happy gums for healthy smiles

Periodontist, it’s a bit of a mouthful but it’s a word worth knowing.  Roughly translated from its Latin origins, periodontist means around the tooth. Your periodontist in Ealing therefore deals with the tissues around your tooth, namely your gums and other structures that support your teeth. It’s these tissues that enable your teeth to do their job, chewing, chomping, gnawing and biting their way through every meal and snack you eat. With such an important role to play, it is therefore no wonder that a whole branch of dentistry is dedicated to taking care of these tissues.

At Ikon Dental Suite, our periodontist in Ealing is here to make sure your teeth get all the support they need by keeping your gums in tip top shape. This means facing off against the periodontist’s arch enemy: gum disease.

The lowdown on gum disease

Gum disease is caused by bacteria that live in your mouth. They are usually harmless but when they build-up after feasting on all the sugars in your food they release acids. It is these acids that cause trouble, eroding the enamel of your teeth and inflaming your gums.

Sore, swollen, red or bleeding gums are all signs of gum disease. Early stage gum disease is known as gingivitis, while more advanced gum disease is called periodontitis. Our periodontist in Ealing can treat both, but, of course, resolving periodontitis involves more work. It is well worth taking the time to do this however, as without treatment the result is tooth loss.

Effective treatment

Treating gingivitis can be as simple as removing the offending bacteria and adopting a more rigorous oral hygiene routine. Periodontitis also involves removing the harmful bacteria, but by this point in the disease the gums will have pulled away from the teeth and will need help re-attaching. Abnormalities in the structure of the surrounding tissues and bone may make this difficult, which is when your periodontist in Ealing will use surgical techniques to help your gums along. Sometimes you will also need to have a course of antibiotics.

Back on track, you’ll then be able to work with your periodontist to keep gum disease at bay.

‍