Gums that bleed when you brush are not something to file away and forget. A lot of people in Barnet have been told by previous dentists, or have simply assumed, that a bit of bleeding is normal. It is not. Bleeding gums are gums that are inflamed. Inflammation means infection. Infection, left alone, progresses.
More than 45% of adults in the UK have some form of gum disease, according to data compiled by dental public health researchers. Most of them either do not know it, have dismissed the signs as minor, or have not been to a dentist in long enough that nobody has spotted it. Gum disease does not usually hurt in its early stages. By the time it becomes painful, it is well advanced.
This is a straightforward post about what gum disease actually is, how to recognise it, and what happens when it is treated properly.
Gingivitis versus periodontitis: the line that matters
Gum disease has two main stages, and the distinction between them changes what treatment involves.
Gingivitis is inflammation of the gum tissue. The gums are red, swollen, and bleed easily. The cause is plaque: the sticky bacterial film that builds up on teeth, particularly along the gumline. If plaque is not removed thoroughly and regularly, the bacteria in it irritate the gum tissue and cause inflammation.
Gingivitis is reversible. A professional clean to remove the built-up plaque and tartar, combined with improving your home care technique, is often enough to resolve it. The gums settle down, the bleeding stops, and with consistent upkeep it does not return.
Periodontitis is what happens when gingivitis is not treated. The infection moves beneath the gumline. The body’s immune response to the bacteria starts breaking down the tissue and bone that holds teeth in place. Pockets form between the gums and teeth. Bone is lost. Teeth loosen. At this stage, the damage to bone cannot be reversed. It can be stopped and managed, but the bone does not grow back.
This is why early treatment matters. The window between reversible and irreversible is not small, but it does close.
Five signs that are worth taking seriously
Gums that bleed when you brush or floss. The most common early sign. Some people assume this means they are brushing too hard. Sometimes they are. But bleeding gums are almost always inflamed gums first, and inflamed gums mean bacterial build-up that needs to be removed professionally.
Gums that look red or swollen. Healthy gum tissue is pale pink and firm. Red, puffy, or shiny gums that sit differently around the teeth than they used to are worth noting.
Persistent bad breath. Bad breath that does not go away with brushing and mouthwash is usually coming from bacteria below the gumline. Mouthwash reaches the surface. It does not reach into a 4mm pocket between your tooth and inflamed gum tissue.
Teeth that look longer than they did. Receding gums expose the root surface of the tooth. People often notice sensitivity to cold drinks first, or that their teeth simply look different. The recession itself is gum tissue being lost to infection.
Teeth that feel loose or have shifted. By this stage, periodontitis has been progressing for some time. The bone supporting the roots has been reduced enough that the teeth are less stable. This is not a sign to monitor. It is a sign to act on immediately.
The wider health connection
This is the part most dental clinic pages in North London do not cover, but it is genuinely relevant to the decision about whether to book a hygienist appointment.
A 2023 survey published in the British Dental Journal found that fewer than 20% of patients with gingivitis knew that gum disease is associated with systemic health conditions. The association is not marginal. Research over the past two decades has established consistent links between periodontitis and cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, and Alzheimer’s disease.
The mechanism is reasonably well understood. Bacteria from infected gum pockets enter the bloodstream when you chew or brush. This triggers low-level systemic inflammation. Over time, that chronic inflammatory response contributes to the conditions listed above.
This does not mean gum disease causes heart attacks. The relationship is bidirectional and complex. People with diabetes are more prone to gum disease, and gum disease makes blood sugar harder to control. The point is simply that what happens in your mouth does not stay in your mouth, and dismissing gum disease as a cosmetic or dental-only concern is not accurate.
What a hygiene appointment at Allure Dental involves
A hygiene appointment at Allure Dental in Barnet is not just a polish. It is an assessment and a clean, and the two inform each other.
The hygienist checks the health of your gums by measuring the depth of the pockets around each tooth. Healthy pockets are 1 to 3mm. Readings of 4mm or above indicate disease activity. This takes a few minutes and tells the hygienist where the problem areas are and what kind of clean is needed.
A standard scale and polish removes plaque and tartar from above and just below the gumline. Most patients with mild to moderate gum disease need this and nothing more, combined with advice on technique for home care.
If pockets are deeper, root planing may be needed. This is a deeper clean that removes bacterial deposits from the root surface below the gumline. It is done under local anaesthetic. It is not pleasant, but it is not traumatic either, and for patients with established periodontitis it is often the treatment that stops the progression.
After the appointment, the hygienist will go through your brushing and flossing technique, and may recommend specific tools depending on what they have seen. The advice is practical rather than generic. There is a difference between what interdental brushes and floss do, and which one is more appropriate depends on the size of your gaps and the extent of any recession.
How often should you see a hygienist?
Every six months is the default recommendation, and for most people with healthy gums and good home care it is appropriate. For patients who have had periodontitis, or who are in active treatment, three to four months is more common. The hygienist will tell you what interval makes sense for your situation after they have seen your gums.
At Allure Dental, you do not need a dentist referral to book a hygiene appointment. You can book directly.
TMJ therapy: the jaw pain connection
Worth mentioning because it sits within Allure’s hygiene and therapy services and a lot of patients do not make the connection.
If you wake up with jaw soreness, headaches at the temples, a clicking or popping jaw joint, or pain when chewing, the cause is often Temporomandibular Dysfunction. TMJ pain is usually linked to grinding or clenching teeth, which most people do during sleep without realising. It can also be triggered or worsened by stress, an uneven bite, or previous dental work that altered how your teeth meet.
The treatment depends on the cause. Often it starts with a bite guard worn at night to stop the grinding. Sometimes adjustments to the bite are needed. The assessment at Allure includes examining the jaw joint as part of the general examination, so patients with these symptoms can get a proper picture of what is driving them rather than managing headaches with painkillers indefinitely.
Managing the cost with DenPlan
Hygiene appointments and check-ups are included in Allure’s DenPlan membership. You pay a set monthly fee and the routine care is covered. For patients who have been avoiding dental visits because the bill at each appointment feels unpredictable, this removes that barrier.
If you have not been to a dentist in a while and suspect your gums are not in great shape, the monthly membership cost is considerably lower than the treatment cost of periodontitis that has been left to develop unchecked.
Book a hygiene appointment in Barnet
Allure Dental Care is at 2B Bedford Avenue, Barnet, EN5 2EP. A short walk from High Barnet tube, open Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday mornings.
No referral needed. Book directly.
Book online or call: alluredentalcare.co.uk or 020 8449 1387.