Periodontal Care Brisbane

Healthy gums, healthy body

Healthy gums are vital for supporting your teeth, but gum disease can also impact overall health – increasing the risk of developing serious conditions like cardiovascular (heart) disease, stroke and diabetes.

If you have symptoms like red, swollen or bleeding gums, see our highly accredited periodontist Dr Jackie Yiu at Swish Dental for gentle and effective gum disease treatment in Everton Park and Mitchelton.

What is gum disease?

Periodontal (gum) disease is an infection caused by plaque bacteria that build up on teeth around the gumline. This can irritate the gums and lead to inflammation (swelling), tenderness and more serious problems if it’s not treated.

Treatment for gum disease depends on how far the disease has advanced, from oral hygiene treatments to deep cleaning and tissue regeneration. Regular dental visits improve the chance of gum disease being caught early, before it causes permanent damage.

Stages of gum disease

There are two stages of gum disease: gingivitis and periodontitis.

• Gingivitis is the early stage of gum disease. Gums affected by gingivitis may look red or purple, rather than healthy pink. They may also be swollen, puffy or feel sore, and may be prone to bleeding when you brush and floss. Gingivitis can be treated with gentle cleaning treatments by a periodontist in combination with good home care.
  
  
• Periodontitis is the advanced stage of gum disease. This can only be treated by a skilled periodontist and may involve minor surgery to remove bacteria from around the roots of teeth below the gum.

Peri-implant diseases

Gum disease isn’t only a risk with natural teeth, but can also affect dental implants. If bacteria build up around the base of an implant, this can irritate the gum and may eventually damage gum tissue and supporting bone structures below the implant, causing it to fail.

The signs of peri-implant disease are similar to gum disease. It can usually be reversed when treated in its early stage, peri-implant mucositis. The advanced stage, peri-implantitis, usually requires minor surgery to remove the infected tissue.

You can lower your risk of peri-implant diseases and other implant problems by taking good care of your teeth and gums every day.

Periodontal care FAQ