Treatment
Gum disease treatment
Gum disease is the most common reason adults lose teeth, and it is almost silent until it is advanced. In its early stage, gingivitis, it is inflammation and bleeding, and it reverses completely with proper cleaning. Left alone it becomes periodontitis, where the inflammation destroys the bone that holds the teeth in place, and that bone loss is permanent. Treatment can stop the disease progressing and can often keep teeth that look hopeless, but it cannot regrow what has already gone, which is why the timing of the first appointment matters so much. The signs people dismiss are the important ones: gums that bleed when brushing, breath that does not improve however much you clean, teeth that feel slightly loose or seem to have moved. Two MDS periodontists, dentists who specialise in gums, handle these cases at this clinic.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Binaya Bhandari, Owner and Dental Surgeon, NMC 20701. Last updated .
When do you need this treatment?
- Gums bleed when brushing, flossing or eating
- Gums look red, swollen or have pulled back from the teeth
- A tooth feels loose, or your bite feels different
- Persistent bad breath or a bad taste
What happens during your visit?
- 1Measurement of the gum pockets around each tooth, and an X-ray of the bone level
- 2Deep cleaning below the gum line, usually across more than one visit
- 3Surgical treatment where pockets are too deep for cleaning alone
- 4A maintenance schedule, because periodontal disease is managed rather than cured once
What happens if you leave it untreated?
Untreated periodontitis progresses to tooth loss, and it does so without much pain, so people often present when several teeth are already loose. The bone lost along the way does not come back, which limits what can be done to replace those teeth afterwards.
What is recovery like?
After deep cleaning, gums are usually tender for a few days and teeth can be sensitive to cold for a week or two as the root surface is exposed. Some gum shrinkage afterwards is expected: that is the inflammation resolving, not the treatment causing damage.
General guidance only. Your own recovery depends on your case, and the dentist treating you will tell you what to expect.
Questions you might have
Gum Disease Treatment
Is bleeding when I brush normal?
No. Healthy gums do not bleed when brushed or flossed. Bleeding is the earliest sign of gum inflammation, and it is the stage at which the condition is still fully reversible, which makes it the best possible time to act on it.
Can gum disease be cured?
Gingivitis, the early stage, reverses completely. Periodontitis, where bone has been lost, can be stopped and controlled but not undone. That is why it is managed with an ongoing maintenance schedule rather than treated once and considered finished.
Why do my teeth look longer after treatment?
Swollen gums sit higher up the tooth. When the inflammation resolves they shrink back to the level the underlying bone actually supports, exposing more of the tooth. It looks like recession caused by the treatment, but it is the existing disease being revealed.
Who does this
The 2 dentists who handle this treatment
All Nepal Medical Council registered. Call ahead to confirm which of them is in on the day you want to come.
Dr. Simant Lamichhane
Periodontics & Implantologist
BDS, MDS
NMC 20533
Dr. Kamal Pd. Pandey
Periodontics & Implantologist
BDS, MDS
NMC 20721
Thinking about Gum Disease Treatment?
Send us a message describing the problem. We will tell you whether this is the right treatment for it.
Check-up and consultation are free