Symptoms of Gum disease

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Normal gum looks pink and healthy. When the gums are inflamed in gingivitis they become red and swollen.

Very often the only symptom of gingivitis will be bleeding when brushing your teeth. It is very important if your gums are bleeding to clean them more thoroughly, not less, ensuring that you brush every surface of the tooth and clean in between the teeth with dental floss or interdental brushes. Your dentist or hygienist will show you how to do this.

In periodontal disease when pocketing has occurred around the tooth there may be no symptoms at all until the teeth eventually become loose in the jawbone.

Acute ulcerative gingivitis (Vincentâ€™s disease) results from severe infection of the gums and is extremely painful. It is essential to see your dentist who will prescribe antibiotics to control the infection.

The symptoms of progressive gum disease can be difficult to recognise yourself, so it is important to see your dentist or hygienist on a regular basis to ensure that your teeth are clean and all calculus (scale) has been removed. Your dentist will also check how well you are cleaning your teeth and show you how to clean any areas you are missing.