Gum disease is the silent assassin responsible for the millions of missing teeth across the UK. It can be hard to spot, with symptoms becoming serious only when real damage has set in. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Gum disease is preventable and treatable, and the earlier you look up “periodontist Leeds” to see a gum disease professional, the better.
A periodontist is a dentist with a special interest in treating all stages of gum disease. They are trained in carrying out procedures that revitalise your gum health and offer tailored guidance on lifestyle choices that will prevent it from returning.
Plaque and tartar are bacteria that collect along your gum line. Even people with the healthiest diets are prone to some degree of plaque and tartar along their gum line, so it’s important to see the hygienist regularly to have this removed.
If you have significant amounts of plaque and tartar, we may recommend multiple cleanings. At Meliora Dental, we use American Eagle hand scalers that enhance patient comfort during a tooth cleaning and allow dentists better dexterity to reach the nooks and crannies of your mouth.
We are also one of the few practices in the area to be home to an Airflow tooth-cleaning machine, an innovative mixture of compressed air, water and powder particles. This cleaning technique is an optional add-on after your tooth cleaning – it is highly recommended for:
It’s possible for plaque and tartar to burrow underneath the gum line and settle on your tooth roots. This is bad news for your teeth; once bacteria have reached underneath your gum line, periodontitis (advanced gum disease) will quickly set in.
Fortunately, it’s possible to treat using a procedure called scaling and root planing.
This process involves smoothening the rough edges of your tooth roots to remove microscopic bacteria. Once this has been performed, the gums can start to reattach to your tooth surfaces. Smoother roots are less susceptible to attracting bacteria, so once the bacteria have been removed, you will be better protected against the risk of your gum tissue breaking down.
Once this has been carried out, your dentist can reattach the gum tissue to your tooth, closing the pockets through which bacteria were initially allowed to enter.
Gum recession is one of the tell-tale signs of gum disease and can occur as a result of plaque and tartar eating away at your gum tissue.
It’s important that gum recession is treated as soon as possible, as once it has eroded, a substance called dentin becomes exposed. This is the substance that sits under your tooth enamel (the protective defensive layer that protects the softer and more vulnerable dentine).
Once the porous layer of dentine is exposed to the acid attacks that occur after you eat sugar foods, it very quickly becomes at risk of decay. It’s for this reason that it’s crucial to restore the lost tissue to the area of exposed dentine, in order to protect your teeth in the future.
With a gum graft, we can take gum tissue from another site in your mouth and apply this to the area where gum recession has occurred. Your tooth dentine is then much better protected thereafter.
One of the main things we always stress (and you may have read this in previous blogs, but it’s worth re-iterating), is that gum disease onset can be silent.
Just like many of the other evolving anomalies that can occur in the human body, gum disease can stay dormant. The disease can strike with symptoms including bleeding gums, bad breath and loose teeth seemingly overnight.
The truth is though, that these problems will have been silently developing for some time. You can reduce the chance of having to see a periodontist by visiting your hygienist for routine cleaning.
You should see a periodontist if you experience:
There are a variety of treatment techniques that can be used to address gum disease, depending on the damage it has caused your mouth. Here at Meliora Dental, we have invested in state-of-the-art technology to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of gingivitis and periodontitis.
At Meliora Dental, we are fortunate to have our own resident dentist with a special interest in periodontics, Dr Namrata Sharma. She has helped patients from Leeds and beyond conquer gum disease and provided valuable ongoing preventive guidance to ensure it does not come back in the future.
Our dental practice is one of the few in the Leeds area with facilities specifically designed to stabilise, reverse and prevent gum disease. We take great pride in periodontal treatment being one of our most prominent services, especially as gum disease is the most common reason why adults lose their teeth.
We encourage you to contact us for a gum health consultation after you’ve found us when searching “periodontist Leeds”. Start your journey to a healthier mouth today.
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Dental Phobia Certified
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Best Young Dentist 2021 Finalist
Best Young Dentist 2020 Finalist
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Thank you for your hard work and I hope this testimonial reflects just how happy I am with my smile. The care and attention which I received during my smile makeover was far better than any I have previously experienced. Kunal and his team were amazing throughout the entire process. I had regular check-ups throughout,...
Kunal is a very approachable, informative and meticulous dentist. From the beginning of my last Invisalign journey, Kunal explained the procedure very clearly and thoroughly. He showed me a 3D image and how my teeth would change throughout the treatment, the length of the treatment and the possible cons of it, such as black triangles...
I was never conscious of my teeth much but over the years my teeth became more overcrowded, in particular my bottom teeth. I found myself smiling in photos with my mouth closed as I didn’t like the way my teeth looked this was something that over time I got even more conscious of and so...
Kunal and his team gave me the best experience throughout my transformation. Everything was explained all the way through the process and he even accommodated my lunch time appointments every 4 weeks! He always gave his honest opinions and made me feel at ease. He is such a perfectionist and wouldn’t let me leave my...
As a result of an accident I had as a child my front tooth suffered some trauma and became discoloured over time. The tooth eventually broke last year which led to it being removed. I was referred to Kunal who took me through the various options I had. As functionality was the most important aspect for a replacement for me we agreed an implant was the route to go. The tooth removal however left an element of damage to the natural bone so I had to undergo a bone graft to repair this. One year after the extraction (as 2 bone grafts were needed in the end) I'm now fitted with my implant and I can honestly say I have never been as proud to smile as I am today. From start to finish Kunal...
As a child, I was given a fixed brace by a practice who showed very little care. These were removed after 9 months due to them being "unable to straighten anymore" leaving me unhappy with my teeth and a major open bite. As years went on, I became less and less confident with my teeth, until I came across Kunal. From the first moment I walked into the practice, Kunal was very welcoming and talked me through every possible stage that would happen if I was to go ahead with treatment with zoom calls to show the perceived results and ensure I was happy to go ahead with treatment Kunal gave me a diagnosis of my open bite, which was behavioural, therefore instantly this behavioural trait was worked upon to receive the best results from...
Thank you for your hard work and I hope this testimonial reflects just how happy I am with my smile. The care and attention which I received during my smile makeover was far better than any I have previously experienced. Kunal and his team were amazing throughout the entire process. I had regular check-ups throughout, and each time Kunal would make sure I was happy, not just with the work that had already taken place, but with the direction my smile was headed. Kunal engaged in discussion with me about each aspect making sure I fully understood what would happen and giving me the chance to have my own input. This combined with his vast knowledge and incredible skill left me feeling fully relaxed and in safe hands. Each step was performed in meticulous detail,...
Kunal is a very approachable, informative and meticulous dentist. From the beginning of my last Invisalign journey, Kunal explained the procedure very clearly and thoroughly. He showed me a 3D image and how my teeth would change throughout the treatment, the length of the treatment and the possible cons of it, such as black triangles and what can be done to minimize them. Kunal made it clear from the beginning that as a dentist his interest was the function of the teeth, better oral hygiene, the bite etc. I learned so much from him regarding my own teeth, that it was my bottom teeth that was causing the misalignment on my top teeth, l have gum recession due to excess brushing and l was in danger of losing two teeth due to it! Things my...
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