Gum disease treatment at Tooth n Care East Maitland

Gum (Periodontal) Treatment

Bleeding gums are not normal

Gum disease is the most common cause of tooth loss in adults, and it usually causes no discomfort at all until it is advanced. Caught early it is very treatable.

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When It’s Needed

Signs to take seriously

Gums that bleed when you brush, floss or eat something firm
Red, puffy or tender gums rather than firm and pale pink
Persistent bad breath or a bad taste that keeps returning
Gums receding, so teeth look longer or feel more sensitive at the neck
Teeth that feel loose, or that have shifted or splayed
Food packing into spaces that didn’t used to be there
A family history of gum disease or early tooth loss
Diabetes, smoking or pregnancy — all raise your risk substantially

At The Appointment

What actually happens

01/

Full periodontal assessment

We measure the pocket depth around every tooth, record bleeding points and recession, and take X-rays to see the bone level. This gives us a baseline and a diagnosis — gingivitis or periodontitis.

02/

Deep cleaning

Scaling and root planing removes calculus and bacterial deposits from below the gum line and smooths the root surface so the gum can reattach. Done under local anaesthetic, usually over two or more visits by section.

03/

Review

Six to eight weeks later we re-measure. Healthy gums shrink, tighten and stop bleeding. We can show you the numbers changing, which is more convincing than being told.

04/

Maintenance

Ongoing three or four monthly maintenance visits. Periodontitis is a chronic condition — it is controlled rather than cured, and the maintenance is what keeps it controlled.

Afterwards

Recovery & aftercare

Tenderness for a few days and cold sensitivity on exposed roots is expected.
Gums may look like they’ve receded slightly afterwards — that’s swelling reducing, which is the treatment working.
Soft food for a day or two if the area is sore.
Warm salt-water rinses, and a chlorhexidine mouthwash for a short period if we prescribe one.
Daily cleaning between teeth is non-negotiable from here — it is the single biggest factor in whether treatment holds.
If you smoke, quitting improves the outcome more than anything we do in the chair.

Alternatives We’d Also Discuss

Other ways to go

Routine scale and clean

Adequate for gingivitis — the early, reversible stage where gums bleed but bone is intact.

Referral to a periodontist

Advanced bone loss, deep pockets that don’t respond, or cases needing regenerative surgery are better managed by a specialist. We refer when that’s appropriate.

Extraction

Where a tooth has lost too much bone support, removing it can protect neighbouring teeth and let a proper replacement be planned.

Risks & Considerations

The honest downsides

No treatment is risk-free, and you should hear this before you decide rather than afterwards.

Bone already lost to periodontitis does not grow back. Treatment stops further loss and stabilises what remains — it does not restore the original support.
Gum recession after treatment is normal as inflammation settles, and can leave teeth looking longer with more sensitive root surfaces.
Deep cleaning is done under anaesthetic and is uncomfortable afterwards for a few days.
Some teeth may feel looser briefly as swelling reduces before the gum tightens.
Without three or four monthly maintenance and daily interdental cleaning, the disease reliably returns.
Smoking substantially reduces success rates and masks bleeding, which hides the disease from you.
Diabetes and gum disease worsen each other in both directions — managing both matters.

Cost & health funds

Cost depends on how many quadrants need treating and how deep the pockets are. Most health funds rebate on periodontal treatment, though annual limits are often reached with a full course — we’ll help you plan across two calendar years where that saves you money, and payment plans are available.

Fees & payment plans →

Get a written plan

Before anything starts you’ll have a written treatment plan with costs, inclusions and any conditions spelled out, plus an estimate of your health fund rebate checked at the desk.

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This information is general in nature and is not a substitute for personalised advice from a registered dental practitioner. Any dental or surgical procedure carries risks. Individual results vary. Before proceeding with treatment we encourage you to ask questions and, if you wish, seek a second opinion from a qualified health practitioner.