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Conditions

Gum Disease

Gum Disease

Gum disease begins as a build-up of bacteria and waste products on your teeth that irritate your gums. The first stage of the condition is called gingivitis. When gingivitis is not treated it causes your gums to recede and allows further bacteria to become trapped. If no treatment is given, the tooth’s roots can become visible and it can begin to wobble and weaken, often resulting in the teeth needing to be removed. Generally, gum disease is caused by poor dental hygiene, but there are other factors that heighten your risk levels. These include smoking, diabetes and as a result of hormonal changes around pregnancy. Treatment is normally carried out by a dentist or hygienist and involves removing the built up plaque and tartar, but prevention through regular brushing and flossing is much more effective.

If you are worried about your child’s gums, check our condition guide especially for parents on Embarrassing Bodies: Kids.

What the Men in White Coats Say

Comments and Questions

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i have a round circle inside my mouth on the cheek area.it is not an ulcer and i have had it for 5 months





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response to nick, ive finaly got somewhere with a great dentist, as you can tell from my comment above i was in abit of a mess. after i sent an email to the british dental association about the state my teeth were in and not being able to get any help. i recieved an email back within 24 hrs with details for local primary care trust.i sent the same email to them and i got a phonecall within 2 hours, they are totaly understanding and come accross this fear of dentists all the time, they also gave me information on what dentists were taking on new patients in my area, im now registerd with a good dentist who help people with the fear of it.and hopefully by the end of july i will be able to smile with confidence again. i will say tho if you do need specialist help you need to be registerd with a dentist in order to be passed on. sorry about spelling was in a rush :~)





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I'm 16 years old and my gums have become really sensitive over the past weeks. My gums are receding and coming off of my teeth. my two bottom teeth are beginning to wobble and this is really stressing me out and stopping me from eating. When I brush my teeth they literally pour with blood,and i dont even brush hard. I live in France and to go to the dentist it is really expensive and we don't have much money. and I don't know what to do HELP!!





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Im no expert, but it sounds like you have gum disease or gingivitus, i would advice you to buy an antibacterial mouthwash, hope this helps and sorry about the spelling

I have gum disease and I am currently undergoing treatment. I would like to know if it is possible for cosmetic work to be carried out on my teeth. i feel my concerns are not taken seriously by my treatment team and my confidence is shattered. My gums have reseeded causing several large gaps at the front of my teeth and my once fabulous smile looks awful. Advice will be much appreciated.





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I went to the dentists last week as i have 2 abcesses and she informed me that my teeth were in such a state that there was nothing she could do and is refering me to a specialist. This came as a shock as i am only 26. I have had trouble with my teeth since i was 12, they are rotting from the root and from inside the enamel so no matter how much i look after my teeth, they still rot. I have had over 40 fillings and 4 extractions. The gaps in my teeth are horrible, i have lost my confidence and hate talking or smiling as i look like someone from a horror movie. Has anyone else suffered from the same symptoms or have any advice on what i can do as i am so unhappy and dont want to end up with dentures so young. :(





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hi ,i know how you feel i have many teeth missing.a couple were lost through playing sports.i tried 2 different dentures to ni avail i could nt keep them in my mouth they were to hard and i lisped and whistle.now years down the line my teeth are just horrendous and im too embarrased to do anything about it.and can not afford to have anything done.i have no confidence what so ever i cannot smile.and im just well depressed all the time.i dont have a relationship nor am i likley to ever have one.i cannot understand why so many women can get breast enlargements and so forth on the nhs but i carnt get help with my teeth.i carnt even eat proper food ie hard stuff.apples,crisps.anything you need to really bite in to i carnt.im not over weight im thin,suffer from migraines,which im told is all down to my teeth or lack of them.so i can relate to you...

i suffer from dental phobia but i need to sort my teeth as they are really disgusting and it is effecting my self confidence, can some please help me to overcome this.





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i have the same phobia,i'v had the phobia since i was like 9 so i understand. i think i need to sort my gums out. after suffering in silence for many years im going to go to my gp and then go to the dentist-my greatest fear.

please how do l get my teeth to become whtite again





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hello, im 25 and ive been bleeding in my gums ever since i was a child when i brushed my teeth. my teeth are in excellent condition, and i can not figure out what might be causing all the bleeding?





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Hi, I also have this problem and have had it since I was young like you. It could be just that your gums have been slightly inflammed. I would suggest that after thoroughly brushing your teeth, spend a minute on just your gums. Your gums will still bleed, but as you continue to brush them, they will toughen up and bleed less as time passes. Works for me! Hope this helps!

please i need help. im 31 yrs old and i have the most disgusting teeth, all through my teens i had perfect white straight teeth until i developed an abcess somewhere in my jaw .after numerous visits to my dentist at the time and several courses of antibiotics later my dentist then told me that if the abcess didnt go away then i would have to have surgary. his exact words were he would have to slice and peel back my gum then drill into the jaw to get at the abcess direct. well being young and not liking the dentist visits that was the last time i ever went . im now paying for it big time, its got to a point now where im in so much pain i bairly get 5 hours sleep every night. all i want to do is be able to smile at my 6 month old daughter with confidence and get a good nights sleep without taking sleeping pills and pain killers. my teeth have crumbled due to grinding in my sleep, along with heavy drinking and smoking a few years ago , i have bits of teeth or half teeth which are black and most probably dead, gum disease which i think is getting worse. you would say that its my own fault for drinking and smoking, but i did go through a bad seven year relationship where i ended up turning to the bottle to cope with everything. thankfully thats all in the past and im in a loving relationship now and have a beutifull daughter together. but the current state of my teeth now would shock anybody who seen them and i need to deal with this some how, i still get an abcess every other week and pain killers just arent working anymore. about 2 years ago i had an abcess that got so bad it kept me awake for 52 hours before i got the courage to go to an emergency dentist at the hospital, even after that visit i walked outside an vomited everywhere. call me soft but dentist terrify me. for the past couple of years since then my teeth have just gotten worse, it doesnt matter how much pain i go through when i brush them use mouth wash or anything like that i know i need to have them taken out. but theres a few reasons why i havent done this, one every dentist ive tried to register with are not taking anymore patients. i cant afford to go private becouse im on a low income which im trying to support my daughter girlfriend and myself with. and lastly i hate the idea of false teeth at my age. i know i have to get my backside to a dentist to sort this but i need help, no dentist will register me i cant afford private and if i keep visiting the emergency dentist at the hospital im just gona end up with no teeth at all. if anyone can help or advise please do id be more than gratefull. i would realy love to be able to smile again.





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i am in exactly the same position with my teeth, i am 25 and my teeth are discusting, i dunno what to do, i try never to show my teeth in public and i have no self confidence and i also hate the idea of false teeth and have a serious phobia of the dentist, although i did go to a dentist about 3 years to go to try and sort them out but i felt the dentist just took the mick out of me and she refuse to treat me, i am in such a down i dunno where to turn. if u have sorted your teeth let me know please. take care

please i need help. im 31 yrs old and i have the most disgusting teeth, all through my teens i had perfect white straight teeth until i developed an abcess somewhere in my jaw .after numerous visits to my dentist at the time and several courses of antibiotics later my dentist then told me that if the abcess didnt go away then i would have to have surgary. his exact words were he would have to slice and peel back my gum then drill into the jaw to get at the abcess direct. well being young and not liking the dentist visits that was the last time i ever went . im now paying for it big time, its got to a point now where im in so much pain i bairly get 5 hours sleep every night. all i want to do is be able to smile at my 6 month old daughter with confidence and get a good nights sleep without taking sleeping pills and pain killers. my teeth have crumbled due to grinding in my sleep, along with heavy drinking and smoking a few years ago , i have bits of teeth or half teeth which are black and most probably dead, gum disease which i think is getting worse. you would say that its my own fault for drinking and smoking, but i did go through a bad seven year relationship where i ended up turning to the bottle to cope with everything. thankfully thats all in the past and im in a loving relationship now and have a beutifull daughter together. but the current state of my teeth now would shock anybody who seen them and i need to deal with this some how, i still get an abcess every other week and pain killers just arent working anymore. about 2 years ago i had an abcess that got so bad it kept me awake for 52 hours before i got the courage to go to an emergency dentist at the hospital, even after that visit i walked outside an vomited everywhere. call me soft but dentist terrify me. for the past couple of years since then my teeth have just gotten worse, it doesnt matter how much pain i go through when i brush them use mouth wash or anything like that i know i need to have them taken out. but theres a few reasons why i havent done this, one every dentist ive tried to register with are not taking anymore patients. i cant afford to go private becouse im on a low income which im trying to support my daughter girlfriend and myself with. and lastly i hate the idea of false teeth at my age. i know i have to get my backside to a dentist to sort this but i need help, no dentist will register me i cant afford private and if i keep visiting the emergency dentist at the hospital im just gona end up with no teeth at all. if anyone can help or advise please do id be more than gratefull. i would realy love to be able to smile again.





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It looks like no one else has asked this question, so please fill in the rest of your details below.





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Content supplied by NHS Choices

Gingivitis (often referred to as gum disease) causes your gums to become red, inflamed and swollen. It can cause your gums to bleed when you brush your teeth. Read More »

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