Healthy gums are an essential part of good oral health. If your gums are healthy they will appear pink and stippled. Gum health is checked at every regular check up appointment by your dentist who will carry out a Basic Periodontal Examination (BPE). This is where the dentist will look at your gums with a special probe and assess whether they are healthy.

Inflammation of the gums (gingivitis) starts due to a build up of plaque on your teeth. Toxins secreted by the micro-organisms in the plaque cause your gums to become inflamed and sore .  This will give them a red, shiny and swollen appearance due to engorgement with blood.. Bad breath is also a common sign of early gum disease. Your gums are most likely to start bleeding when you brush them. and will feel hot.If this infection is allowed to progress it will develop into the periodontal membrane. This no longer effects just the gums, but the ligaments and the bone that hold your teeth in place. The gum will start to detach itself from the teeth and form “pockets”. The bones supporting the teeth is then slowly lost. This is generally a painless process and can become a serious problem without you noticing. This is why regular check-ups with your dentist are essential. If gum disease is left unnoticed it will lead to loosening and loss of teeth.

Gingivitis can be cured with good oral hygiene( tooth brushing and other mouth hygiene aids, e.g. tepe brushes).

Scaling by your dentist/hygienist may be necessary to remove calculus (tartar) and plaque forming in the mouth.

In cases of periodontitis, root surface cleaning (debridement) may be required to remove the plaque and calculus from beneath the gum. This is usually be carried out under local anaesthesia.   In extreme instances surgery may be required.

If gum disease has progressed too far then the affected teeth may need to be extracted.

Further reading www.perio.org/consumer/2a.html