Gum disease care, caught early treats easily.

Understanding gum disease

Gum disease is an infection of the tissues around your teeth, driven by bacterial plaque that builds up at and below the gumline. It progresses through stages:

• Gingivitis — the early stage. Gums are inflamed, may bleed when you brush or floss, sometimes tender. Reversible with improved home care and a professional clean. No permanent damage yet.
• Mild-to-moderate periodontitis — the bacteria have moved below the gumline, forming pockets between the gum and the tooth root. The body's immune response starts breaking down the bone supporting the tooth. Manageable with non-surgical treatment, but the bone damage already done doesn't grow back on its own.
• Advanced periodontitis — significant bone loss, deep pockets, teeth may loosen, gum recession. Treatable but the goal shifts from cure to long-term management; some teeth may not be saveable. We refer advanced cases to a periodontist for specialist input.

The earlier we catch it, the simpler and more effective the treatment. Most cases we see are gingivitis or early periodontitis — both of which respond well in-house.

How we work — non-surgical in-house, surgical referred

Oracare provides non-surgical periodontal treatment in-house. That covers the vast majority of gum-disease cases:

• Clinical periodontal assessment — measuring pocket depths around every tooth, recording bleeding points, taking X-rays where indicated to see the bone level.
• Scaling and root planing — sometimes called a "deep clean" — removing plaque and tartar from below the gumline and smoothing the root surfaces so bacteria can't re-attach as easily.
• Subgingival irrigation and antimicrobial therapy for selected cases.
• Hygiene-instruction sessions specific to your case (interdental brushes, electric toothbrush technique, flossing approach for the areas that are hardest to reach).
• Ongoing maintenance cleans at shorter intervals (often 3-monthly) once active treatment is complete.

For advanced cases requiring surgical periodontal treatment — flap surgery, guided tissue regeneration, crown lengthening, sinus or bone grafting — we refer to a periodontist at Camp Hill Specialist Centre or equivalent specialist clinic. We coordinate the case before and after; the surgical phase happens at the specialist's rooms.

What to expect

1. Visit 1
   Assessment. We measure pocket depths around every tooth and chart the result, look for bleeding and recession, take X-rays if we don't have recent ones, and discuss your home-care routine and any medical factors (smoking, diabetes, certain medications) that affect gum health. You leave with a written treatment plan and a clear picture of where you stand.
2. Visit 2
   Deep clean. Scaling and root planing under local anaesthetic — usually one or two visits depending on the number of areas involved. We work quadrant-by-quadrant (or half-mouth) so you're never numb everywhere at once. Most patients describe the visit as comfortable; some sensitivity for a few days afterwards is normal.
3. Review
   Review at 6–8 weeks. We re-chart pocket depths to see how the gums have healed. Most pockets shrink significantly; some need a second round of deep clean; a few patients (advanced cases) move to specialist referral at this point. The plan adapts to what we see.
4. Maintenance
   Ongoing care. Once active treatment is complete, most patients move to 3-monthly or 4-monthly maintenance cleans rather than the standard 6-month interval. This intercepts re-accumulation of bacteria before it triggers another flare. Many patients eventually return to a 6-month rhythm if home care holds up.

Common questions

Cost & funding

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