Do you experience one or more of these signs of gum disease?
- Bad Breath (Halitosis)
- Bleeding gums
- Red or swollen gums
- Painful gums or teeth
- Loose teeth
- Gum abscess or gum infections
- Excessive tartar build up
These are all signs and symptoms of gum disease. Gum disease is very often a slow and painless disease, but when symptoms begin to show, it can already be at an advanced stage. If left untreated, gum disease can destroy the supporting structures of your natural teeth and lead to tooth loss. Dr Choo has saved thousands of teeth to date, teeth which may have been lost to gum disease.
Advanced gum disease has also been linked to other serious health problems such as heart attacks¹, strokes¹, diabetes², respiratory disorders³ and Alzheimer’s Disease¹².
The severity of gum disease can be categorised into different stages:
Mild gum disease is often referred to as Gingivitis. This occurs when gums are inflamed and infected.
Moderate gum disease involves inflammation, infections, increased bone loss and ligament detachment.
Advanced gum disease involves inflammation, greater infection with possible swellings, advanced bone loss and greater loss of ligament attachment which can often result in loose teeth or the eventual loss of teeth.
As a Registered Specialist Periodontist (Gum Specialist), Dr Tina Choo is extensively trained to treat all cases of gum disease, with a particular focus on moderate to advanced gum disease. Experienced in and practicing the full scope of periodontal treatments, her expertise ranges from treatment of gum disease, dental implants and gum surgery to give your natural teeth and gums the best outcome.
Treatment options will vary depending on the stage of gum disease and patient factors (smoking, stress, diabetes). The main goal of treatment is to remove as much bacteria (calculus) as possible of the teeth from under the gums. This will involve deep cleaning over a few sessions (average 6-8 visits).
Should you have any concerns regarding your ongoing gum treatment, if you have seen a Specialist Periodontist in the past or would like another opinion in regards to your gum disease, Dr Choo is available to consult.
Appointments can be made with Dr Choo directly without a referral, practicing from Heathridge (NOR).
¹The association between periodontal diseases and cardiovascular diseases: a state-of-the-science review. Beck JD, Offenbacher S. Ann Periodontol. 2001 Dec; 6(1):9-15.
¹Oral health, atherosclerosis, and cardiovascular disease. Meurman JH, Sanz M, Janket SJ. Crit Rev Oral Biol Med. 2004 Nov 1;15(6):403-13. Review.
²Periodontal disease: associations with diabetes, glycemic control and complications. Taylor GW, Borgnakke WS. Oral Dis. 2008 Apr;14(3):191-203. doi: 10.1111/j.1601-0825.2008.01442.x. Review.
³Associations between periodontal disease and risk for nosocomial bacterial pneumonia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. A systematic review. Scannapieco FA, Bush RB, Paju S. Ann Periodontol. 2003 Dec;8(1):54-69. Review.
¹²Periodontitis and Cognitive Decline in Alzheimer’s Disease. Ide M, Harris M, Stevens A, Sussams R, Hopkins V, Culliford D, Fuller J, Ibbett P, Raybould R, Thomas R, Puenter U, Teeling J, Perry VH, Holmes C.PLoS One. 2016 Mar 10;11(3):e0151081. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0151081. eCollection 2016.