Gum Disease Treatment for Finchley Central Residents

Book an assessment if you notice signs of gingivitis, the early stage of gum disease, or periodontitis, the advanced stage. Key symptoms include gums that bleed when you brush or floss, persistent bad breath, and gums that appear red, puffy, or swollen. If your teeth feel loose or your gums recede, making teeth look longer, this signals more advanced disease needing attention. The Oral Health Foundation notes that some form of gum disease affects most adults in the UK, so seeking professional care is a normal and necessary step to prevent tooth loss. A patient from Finchley Central recently visited us with bleeding gums, and we managed this with a single hygiene appointment and personalised home care advice.

Your treatment starts with a thorough 60 minute consultation. We examine your gums, measure the pockets between teeth and gums, and may use digital imaging to check for bone loss. For early-stage gingivitis, a professional cleaning to remove plaque and tartar, plus guidance on your at home routine, is often enough. For more advanced periodontitis, a deeper cleaning called scaling and root planing is needed. This is done under local anaesthetic over one or two 60 minute appointments. Then we remove tartar below the gum line and smooth the tooth roots to help your gums reattach. Finally, you have follow up appointments every 3 to 6 months to monitor progress and keep gums healthy.

After a standard cleaning, you should feel little to no discomfort. Following deeper cleaning, some tenderness and sensitivity for a few days is normal. Your teeth may feel slightly different as inflammation reduces. Use a soft bristled toothbrush and avoid very hot or cold foods for the first 48 hours. Long term maintenance matters most for gum disease. This means brushing twice daily, daily flossing or interdental brushes, and attending regular hygiene visits. For a patient with moderate periodontitis, careful aftercare helped avoid more complex surgical treatments later. If you have severe pain, swelling, or a fever after treatment, call our practice during office hours (Mon/Wed/Fri 9 AM-5 PM, Tue/Thu 11 AM-7 PM). For out of hours emergencies, contact NHS 111.

For gum disease, non surgical treatment like professional cleaning and scaling and root planing is the first and most important step. There are not direct alternatives in the same way as a missing tooth, because the underlying cause—bacterial plaque—must be removed. If the disease remains very advanced, other options may be needed after initial therapy: Periodontal Surgery: In severe cases where deep pockets stay after initial treatment, minor gum surgery might be required to improve access for cleaning. This is a specialist procedure. Antibiotics: In some cases of aggressive periodontitis, targeted antibiotics may be prescribed alongside deep cleaning to help control the infection. At our Finchley practice, we focus on making non surgical treatment as effective as possible to avoid the need for more invasive procedures.

To make an informed choice about your care, whether with us or another practice near Finchley Central, here are important questions to ask: - What stage is my gum disease at, and what does that mean for my teeth long term? - Do I need a deep clean (scaling and root planing) or just a regular hygiene visit? - What is included in the quoted price for the treatment? - How often will I need follow up appointments? - What home care products or techniques do you recommend for me? - Do you accept private dental insurance plans like Denplan or Cigna? - Can you show me how to use interdental brushes or floss correctly for my teeth?

We offer transparent pricing. A new patient examination and assessment to gauge gum health carries a fixed fee. Treatment costs depend on how severe the condition is. A standard hygiene appointment costs less than a full course of scaling and root planing, which takes more time and is done under local anaesthetic. We provide a detailed written treatment plan with all costs clearly listed before work begins, so there are no hidden fees. As a private practice, we are not bound by NHS fee structures but accept several major plans, including Max Bupa, Denplan, and Cigna. Please tell us if you have coverage you want to use.