Cosmetics and Family Dentistry

Gum disease is an infection of the gum, caused by bacteria, in most cases. Bacteria harbouring in the crevices under the gums (if you don’t brush and floss them out effectively) cause inflammation which manifests as bleeding, redness, swelling, pain and hot gums. As the infection progresses, it destroys the gum tissue that surrounds and supports the teeth causing the tooth wiggling.

Gum diseases such as gingivitis and periodontitis are quite common, particularly as we approach middle age and older.

Early detection and treatment of gum diseases is often the best means of gum management and control. Regular teeth cleaning by your Keele MajorMac dental hygienists and check-up with Dr. Jacqueline Ha and her associates are typically the most effective ways in recognizing the signs and symptoms of gum diseases, hence developing a customized treatment protocol based on your individual needs.

Periodontal gum disease is a wide dental terminology classifying from a simple gum inflammation or bleeding gum (gingivitis) to an advanced disease state (periodontitis) with significant damages to the soft tissue and bony structure supporting the teeth, hence causing the teeth wiggling and painful.

The early stage of periodontitis is gingivitis, which has no damages to the gum and bony structure supporting the teeth. Gingivitis is an inflammation of the gums caused by bacterial growth from plaque and tartar on the teeth.

Periodontitis is the advanced stage of gum diseases, where gums are pulled away from the teeth and form pockets that become infected and harbouring lots of bacteria. Once pockets are formed, bacteria become pathogenic (specific bacteria strain that will destroy gum tissue and the bone around the teeth). Treatment plan for this condition will be longer and requires a lot more effort from both the dental team and the patient.

When you come for a dental visit at Keele MajorMac Dental Centre, Dr. Jacqueline Ha and her associates will always examine your teeth and gums to ensure you do not have gum diseases. If you incur gum diseases, the dentists will provide customized recommendations and treatment options based on your specific needs and time lines to finish the treatment.

Also, gum treatment modalities and home care techniques will be demonstrated at the centre to help you implement them immediately when you go home. We truly wish that you will maintain your healthy gums and teeth for a lifetime.

Dr. Jacqueline Ha and her associates, amongst the most effective gum treatments, confidently perform deep cleaning, scaling and root planing, medications, or surgical procedures such as flap surgery (gum surgery) or bone and soft tissue grafts. Most important of all is your regular dentist check-ups after the comprehensive gum treatment.

When you have Gingivitis, you only need to come to our dental centre every 4 months to 6 months and you need to commit to proper home oral care with brushing and flossing twice daily. Failure to do so may progress to Periodontitis (the more severe case of gingivitis).

Treatment for Periodontitis is more complex, involving from two visits (if early periodontitis) to four dental appointments (if more severe periodontitis). The details of each appointment will be explained at the time of diagnosis and implementation of your treatment plan.

At Keele MajorMac Dental Centre, Dr. Jacqueline Ha and her associate will attempt non-surgical periodontal treatment at first. Then depending on the recovering condition, a gum surgery (open flap surgery) may be needed to reduce the pocket depth or to control the refractory periodontitis. When the gum condition is not possibly controlled at our dental centre, our dental centre will refer you to an appropriate gum specialist (periodontist).

• Consistent bad breath that will not go away
• Red and/or swollen gums
• Tender and/or bleeding gums
• Painful gums while chewing
• Wiggling teeth
• Sensitive teeth when you eat or drink something cold
• Receding gums or teeth that look longer than normal