Plaque causes gum disease, a thick and sticky film containing bacteria that builds up on the teeth. Some of the plaque can harden to become tartar, known also as calculus. The plaque and tartar causes inflammation and infection of the gums. This can make your gums red, swollen, tender painful or bleed easily.

Gingivitis or bleeding gums is the first stage of gum disease. If the gingivitis advances it then becomes a more serious condition called  periodontitis (periodontal disease). Bacteria below the gum-line is the primary cause of periodontitis. The bacteria produce toxins that often causes the bone surrounding your teeth to dissolve away. Signs of periodontitis are not always obvious but may include bleeding gums, gum recession, gaps appearing between the teeth, abscesses, loose teeth, drifting teeth or bad breath/taste.

Enhance Dental carefully examine your medical history, teeth and gums and note if any plaque or tartar is present. Digital X-rays can show if the bone is falling away from the teeth. We will check all your fillings to ensure they are smooth, well shaped and not loose. Otherwise they can cause plaque and tartar accumulation. We will carefully check the size, shape and appearance of your gums as this could indicate gum disease. Enhance Dental uses a periodontal probe to measure and identify areas of bleeding, gum recession and depth of pockets under the gum.

Our caring and informative Enhance Dental dentists carefully check your gums for signs of gum disease. We thoroughly assess other factors that often link with gum disease. Such as diabetes, heart disease, medications, dietary habits, smoking and oral hygiene. We are meticulous when it comes to professional removal (scale and clean or root planing) of any plaque and tartar (hardened plaque). This is the primary method to treat and  prevent gum problems.