Gum Health Assessments
Understand what’s happening with your gums through a comprehensive professional assessment designed to identify concerns early and help determine the right next step for your oral health.
Your Gums Are An Important Part Of Your Oral Health
Healthy gums provide the foundation that supports your teeth, but problems affecting the gums can sometimes develop gradually and without significant pain.
Bleeding when brushing or flossing, persistent redness or swelling, changes around the gumline and ongoing bad breath can all be signs that your gums may need professional attention.
A Gum Health Assessment at OHHH gives us an opportunity to look more closely at the health of your gums, identify signs of inflammation or periodontal disease and understand any factors that may be contributing to the problem.
Just as importantly, we’ll explain what we find in clear, straightforward language so you understand what’s happening and what, if anything, needs to happen next.
If something about your gums doesn’t feel right, or you’re simply unsure, we’re here to help.
When Should You Have Your Gums Checked?
You don’t need to wait until your gums become painful before seeking professional advice. It may be worth arranging a Gum Health Assessment if you have noticed:
- Bleeding when brushing or cleaning between your teeth
- Red, swollen or tender gums
- Gums that appear to be receding
- Persistent bad breath or an unpleasant taste
- Changes in the spaces between your teeth
- Teeth that appear longer than they previously did
- Sensitivity around the gumline
- Changes in the way your teeth feel when you bite
- Concerns about loose or moving teeth
- A previous history of gum or periodontal disease
You may also benefit from an assessment if you’ve simply been told in the past that you have gum problems and would like to better understand your current gum health.
Not sure whether your symptoms warrant an assessment? Contact us and we’ll help you decide where to start.
What Happens During A Gum Health Assessment?
A Gum Health Assessment is about building a clearer picture of your current gum health rather than simply looking at one symptom in isolation.
Depending on your individual circumstances, your assessment may include:
- A discussion about your concerns and any changes you’ve noticed
- Review of your relevant dental and medical history
- Examination of your teeth and gums
- Assessment for signs of inflammation or gum disease
- Measurement of the spaces between the teeth and gums where appropriate
- Assessment of gum recession and other changes around the gumline
- Evaluation of plaque, biofilm and calculus
- Consideration of relevant lifestyle and health factors
- Discussion of your current oral hygiene routine
- Recommendations for professional care, treatment or monitoring where appropriate
If additional investigation is required, we’ll explain why and discuss the appropriate next step with you.
Understanding Gum Disease
Gingivitis
Gingivitis is inflammation of the gums and is commonly associated with dental plaque and biofilm accumulating around the gumline.
The gums may appear red or swollen and can bleed during brushing or interdental cleaning.
Identifying and addressing inflammation at this stage is important because appropriate professional care, effective daily oral hygiene and ongoing prevention can help restore and maintain healthier gums.
Periodontitis
Periodontitis is a more advanced form of gum disease involving the tissues that support the teeth.
Unlike gingivitis, periodontitis can involve loss of the supporting structures around the teeth and therefore requires appropriate professional assessment and management.
This is one of the reasons early identification matters.
If your gum health assessment indicates that you require periodontal care, we’ll explain what we’ve found and discuss the most appropriate next step with you.
Why Do Gums Bleed?
Bleeding gums are common, but that doesn’t mean they should simply be considered normal.
One of the most common reasons gums bleed is inflammation caused by plaque and biofilm accumulating around the gumline. However, there can be other contributing factors, which is why persistent or unexplained bleeding is worth discussing with an oral healthcare professional.
If your gums regularly bleed when you brush or clean between your teeth, an assessment can help establish what may be contributing to the problem and what you can do about it.
Your Gum Health Is Personal To You
There isn’t a single approach to gum health that’s right for everyone.
Your oral hygiene, age, medical history, medications, smoking history, lifestyle, genetics and existing dental health can all potentially influence your individual risk profile and the care you may require.
That’s why OHHH focuses on understanding you, rather than simply treating a symptom.
Following your assessment, we’ll explain our findings and provide recommendations based on your individual needs. Depending on what we find, this might involve improving your home-care routine, professional oral healthcare, ongoing monitoring or further periodontal care.
The aim is to give you a clear understanding of your gum health and a practical plan for what happens next.
Gum Health And Your Overall Health
Your gums are part of your overall health, and research continues to explore associations between periodontal health and wider areas of health and wellbeing.
Conditions such as diabetes have an important relationship with periodontal health, while associations between periodontal disease and areas including cardiovascular health and pregnancy continue to be studied.
These relationships can be complex, and having gum disease does not mean that it will cause another health condition.
What it does reinforce is the importance of treating your oral health as part of your wider health, rather than something entirely separate.
At OHHH, we’ll help you understand what your gum health means for you, based on your individual circumstances and the evidence available.
From Assessment To The Right Care
What Happens After My Assessment?
The answer will depend entirely on what we find.
For some people, the assessment may show generally healthy gums with opportunities to improve daily oral hygiene or preventative care.
Others may benefit from professional biofilm management, including Guided Biofilm Therapy where appropriate, together with personalised home-care advice and ongoing monitoring.
Where signs of more significant periodontal disease are identified, further periodontal assessment or treatment may be recommended.
Whatever the outcome, we’ll explain:
What we've found.
What it means.
What we recommend.
Why we're recommending it.
You’ll have an opportunity to ask questions before deciding on the next step.
A Supportive, Judgement-Free Approach
People sometimes put off having their gums checked because they’re embarrassed about bleeding, bad breath, how their teeth look or how long it has been since their last professional appointment.
There’s no need to feel embarrassed.
Our role isn’t to judge how you got here. It’s to understand your current oral health and help you decide what to do next.
Whether you’ve always looked after your teeth carefully or haven’t seen an oral healthcare professional for several years, you’re welcome at OHHH.
We’ll meet you where you are and help you move forward.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are bleeding gums normal?
Healthy gums generally shouldn’t bleed regularly. Occasional bleeding can occur for different reasons, but persistent bleeding when brushing or cleaning between the teeth can be a sign of inflammation and is worth having professionally assessed.
Does bleeding gums mean I have gum disease?
Not necessarily. Bleeding can have different contributing factors, and an assessment is needed to understand what’s happening in your individual case. If your gums bleed regularly, it’s better to have them checked than to try to diagnose the cause yourself.
Is gum disease painful?
Not always. Gum disease can develop without significant pain, particularly in its earlier stages. That’s one reason changes such as persistent bleeding, swelling or gum recession shouldn’t be ignored simply because they don’t hurt.
What's the difference between gingivitis and periodontitis?
Gingivitis refers to inflammation of the gums without the loss of the supporting structures around the teeth. Periodontitis is a more advanced condition in which those supporting tissues can be affected. A professional assessment can help establish what’s happening and what care may be appropriate.
What happens if you find gum disease?
We’ll explain what we’ve found and discuss the appropriate next step. Recommendations will depend on the nature and extent of the problem and could include professional oral healthcare, personalised home-care advice, monitoring or periodontal treatment.
Will I need treatment after my gum health assessment?
Not necessarily. The purpose of the assessment is first to understand your gum health. Any recommendations will be based on what we find and explained to you before proceeding.
Can Guided Biofilm Therapy help with gum health?
Managing dental biofilm is an important part of maintaining healthy gums. Guided Biofilm Therapy may form part of professional care where clinically appropriate, depending on your individual gum health and treatment needs.
I'm not sure whether I need a Gum Health Assessment. What should I do?
Contact us and tell us what’s concerning you. You don’t need to choose the correct service yourself. Our team can help guide you towards the most appropriate place to start.
Concerned About Your Gums?
If your gums are bleeding, swollen, receding or simply don’t seem quite right, don’t wait for the problem to become painful before asking for advice.
A Gum Health Assessment can help you understand what’s happening, identify potential concerns and determine the most appropriate next step for your oral health.
We’re here to help, without judgement and without expecting you to know what’s wrong before you arrive.