The disease most people don't know they have
Gum disease is one of the most common chronic diseases in UK adults and a leading cause of tooth loss — yet it is largely painless until its late stages, which is exactly why it succeeds. Teeth that have survived decades without a single filling are lost to gum disease because nothing hurt until the teeth became loose.
The one early warning sign almost everyone ignores: bleeding when you brush or floss. Healthy gums do not bleed. Bleeding is inflammation, and inflammation is the disease announcing itself while it is still easy to treat.
Gingivitis vs periodontitis — the line that matters
Gingivitis is inflammation of the gum only: redness, puffiness, bleeding. The bone and the fibres holding your teeth are untouched. Gingivitis is fully reversible with professional cleaning and good daily hygiene — the gums can return completely to health.
Periodontitis is what gingivitis can become if the inflammation persists: the body's own immune response starts destroying the bone and ligament supporting the teeth. Pockets form between gum and tooth where bacteria thrive beyond the reach of a toothbrush. This damage is permanent — bone does not grow back on its own. Periodontitis can be stopped and stabilised, but not reversed. The entire goal of treatment is to halt it where it is.
Signs you may already have it
Bleeding on brushing, persistent bad breath or a bad taste, gums that have pulled back making teeth look longer, gaps appearing between teeth, teeth that feel slightly loose or have shifted position, tenderness when chewing, and receding gums with exposed sensitive root surfaces. Smokers should know one cruel detail: smoking reduces gum bleeding by restricting blood flow, masking the main warning sign while making the disease worse.
What causes it — and what raises your risk
The driver is plaque: the soft bacterial film that forms on teeth daily. When plaque is not removed, it hardens into tartar (calculus), which cannot be brushed off and shelters more bacteria against the gum. Your risk is raised by smoking, diabetes (gum disease and blood sugar control worsen each other in both directions), genetics, stress, certain medications, and hormonal changes such as pregnancy.
What treatment actually involves
For gingivitis and early disease: a professional scale and polish with our hygienist (from £72) removes the plaque and tartar your brush cannot, combined with personalised coaching on the cleaning technique that will keep it away. Most bleeding resolves within two to three weeks of this combination — the fix is genuinely that direct.
For periodontitis: deeper cleaning below the gum line (often called root surface debridement), performed area by area with local anaesthetic where needed, removes the deposits inside the pockets. Severe or stubborn cases may need repeated cycles or referral. Our Periodontal membership plan (£29.45/month) is built for exactly this: enhanced hygiene visits, deep cleaning and ongoing gum-health monitoring, plus 20% off cosmetic treatments.
What no honest dentist will promise: treatment without your daily involvement. Professional cleaning resets the playing field; what happens next is decided by your toothbrush and interdental brushes. Patients who clean between their teeth daily keep their results. Patients who don't, relapse.
The daily routine that stabilises gums
Brush twice daily for two minutes with fluoride toothpaste, angling the bristles into the gum line — an electric toothbrush makes this easier to do well. Clean between every tooth once a day with interdental brushes sized to your gaps (we will show you which sizes you need) or floss where spaces are tight. Expect bleeding for the first week or two of proper interdental cleaning — that is the inflammation resolving, not a reason to stop. Do not smoke. Attend the hygiene interval we recommend, which for treated gum disease is usually every three months, not six.
Receding gums and loose teeth — the honest outlook
Recession that has already happened does not grow back, and bone that is lost stays lost. What treatment offers is real but specific: stopping further loss, firming up inflamed tissue, reducing pocket depths, and keeping teeth that would otherwise be lost. Teeth with mild looseness often tighten noticeably once inflammation resolves. Teeth with severe bone loss may eventually need a plan for replacement — and stabilising your gum health first is also the entry requirement for implants, which fail in untreated gum disease.
Why this matters beyond your mouth
Periodontitis is associated with worse outcomes in cardiovascular disease and diabetes, and treating gum disease can improve blood-sugar control in diabetic patients. The mouth is not a sealed compartment. Treating chronic gum inflammation is a health decision, not just a dental one.