What is gum disease?
Gum disease is an infection of the gums caused by plaque bacteria. Early on it is called gingivitis. Your gums may be red, swollen or bleed when you brush. Left untreated, it can become periodontitis, which damages the bone that holds your teeth in place.
Gum disease is very common and a frequent cause of tooth loss in adults. The good news is that it can usually be treated, and then kept under control with regular hygiene visits at our Lewisham practice.
Why treat gum disease?
- It gives you a better chance of keeping your natural teeth.
- With treatment and good cleaning at home, bleeding usually settles and your gums feel healthier.
- Your breath should be fresher.
- Gum disease is linked with type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke, so healthy gums may help your general health.
- Once it is under control, routine hygiene visits help keep it away.
How we treat it
What happens
Check-up
Your dentist checks your gums at a check-up. If you have gum disease, you’ll see the hygienist.
Deep clean
The hygienist removes infected deposits above and below the gum line. Most patients don’t need local anaesthetic. If it feels sensitive, we can numb the area.
A short course of visits
If your gum disease is advanced, we’ll see you for a few hygiene appointments close together to bring it under control.
Keeping it away
We show you how to clean your teeth and gums at home. Then you come back for routine hygiene visits.
Gum treatment at SmileUp
- Periodontal care led by Victoria Rincon, who has postgraduate training in periodontics
- Airflow cleaning, which most patients find more comfortable than metal scrapers
- Dental laser for gum treatment
- Open six days · Mon, Tue until 7:30pm
How much does it cost?
Your dentist confirms the exact cost in a written plan before any treatment starts.
| Periodontal gum treatment (non-surgical) | from £300 |
Representative example: cash price £1,595, amount of credit £1,595, first payment of £33.36 taken upfront then 59 monthly payments of £33.21, total cost of credit £397.75, total amount payable £1,992.75 over 60 months, rate of interest 9.9% p.a. fixed. Representative 9.9% APR. SmileUp Limited is a credit broker, not a lender (FRN 727371). Finance provided by Tabeo Finance Limited (FRN 777539). Credit subject to status, UK residents 18+.
