Gum disease is one of the most common health conditions in Australia, and one of the easiest to miss. According to the National Study of Adult Oral Health, around 30% of Australian adults aged 15 and over have moderate or severe gum disease, and in Queensland that figure rises to 37%, the highest rate in the country.
The reason so many people are unaware is that early gum disease rarely hurts. Bleeding when you brush is easy to dismiss as brushing too hard. By the time there’s discomfort or a tooth feels loose, the condition has usually progressed to a point where some damage can’t be undone.
As a local family-fun dentist here in Ipswich, we want to make sure everyone in our community knows what symptoms to watch for, how gum disease progresses, and what treatment looks like at each stage.
What Is Gum Disease?
Gum disease, or periodontal disease, is an infection of the tissues that hold your teeth in place. It begins with plaque. When plaque isn’t removed by brushing and flossing, it hardens into calculus (tartar), which can’t be brushed away and needs to be removed professionally.
The bacteria in plaque and tartar irritate the gums. Your immune system responds with inflammation, and if that inflammation goes unchecked, it gradually breaks down the gum tissue, ligament, and bone that anchor your teeth.
There are two broad forms:
- Gingivitis is inflammation limited to the gums. It’s the early stage and is fully reversible.
- Periodontitis is inflammation that has spread below the gum line and begun destroying bone. It can be stopped and managed, but bone that has already been lost does not grow back on its own.
What Are the Symptoms of Gum Disease?
The following signs indicate your gums should be assessed. Symptoms can come and go, which often leads people to wait them out, but the underlying infection doesn’t resolve on its own.
Bleeding when you brush or floss: The most common early warning sign. Healthy gums don’t bleed during normal brushing, regardless of how thorough you are.
Red, swollen or tender gums: Healthy gums are firm and pale pink. Gums that look puffy, feel sore or have a darker red appearance are inflamed.
Persistent bad breath or an unpleasant taste: Bacteria collecting below the gum line produce compounds that cause ongoing bad breath, which doesn’t clear with brushing or mouthwash.
Receding gums or teeth that look longer: As gum tissue pulls away from the tooth, more of the root becomes exposed, which changes the appearance of your smile.
Increased sensitivity to hot and cold: Exposed tooth roots aren’t protected by enamel, so they respond more sharply to temperature.
Loose or shifting teeth: A sign that the bone supporting the tooth has been damaged. This requires prompt assessment.
Changes to your bite or the fit of a denture: If your teeth no longer meet the way they used to, or a partial denture has stopped sitting correctly, the supporting structures may have changed.
Gum disease can also be present with none of these symptoms, particularly in its earliest stages. That’s why we recommend regular check-ups so we can identify it before you’d ever notice it yourself.
The Stages of Gum Disease
Gum disease progresses through stages based on how much attachment and bone has been lost around the teeth.
Stage 1: Gingivitis
Inflammation is confined to the gums. You may notice bleeding, redness or puffiness, but no bone has been lost and no permanent damage has occurred. Gingivitis is reversible with a professional clean and an improved daily routine, often within a few weeks.
Stage 2: Early Periodontitis
The infection has moved below the gum line and begun to affect the bone and fibres attaching teeth to their sockets. Symptoms are often still mild, but the damage from this point is permanent.
Stage 3: Moderate Periodontitis
Pockets deepen and more bone is lost. Gums recede noticeably, sensitivity increases, and teeth may begin to feel slightly mobile. Treatment shifts from reversing the condition to halting its progress and preventing tooth loss.
Stage 4: Advanced Periodontitis
Significant bone loss has occurred. Teeth become visibly loose or shift position, chewing becomes uncomfortable, and abscesses can develop. Some teeth may not be saveable at this point, and treatment focuses on stabilising the mouth and preserving what remains.
Alongside each stage, we’ll also consider how quickly the condition is progressing. Two people at the same stage can need very different treatment plans depending on how fast their gum disease is advancing. Risk factors like smoking and poorly controlled diabetes tend to accelerate it.
What Causes Gum Disease?
Plaque is the direct cause, but several factors increase how likely you are to develop gum disease and how severe it becomes:
- Smoking and vaping, which reduce blood flow to the gums, mask bleeding, and make treatment less effective
- Diabetes, which has a two-way relationship with gum disease. Each makes the other harder to control
- Hormonal changes during pregnancy, puberty and menopause, which increase gum sensitivity to plaque
- Dry mouth, often a side effect of medications including antidepressants and blood pressure medications
- Genetics, which can make some people more susceptible despite good oral hygiene
- Age, with prevalence rising steeply after 50
- Stress and diet, which affect immune response and inflammation
What Happens at a Gum Disease Assessment?
Diagnosing gum disease involves more than a visual check. Your dentist will use a small probe to measure the depth of the space between each tooth and the surrounding gum, recorded in millimetres. Healthy readings sit between 1 and 3 millimetres, so anything of 4 millimetres or more suggests a pocket has formed.
We record readings around each tooth to show where the disease is active and how advanced it is. X-rays are usually taken as well, since they reveal bone levels that aren’t visible during an examination. Together these give a clear diagnosis and a baseline to measure treatment against.
How Is Gum Disease Treated?
Treatment depends on how far the condition has progressed.
Professional cleaning (scale and clean): For gingivitis, removing plaque and hardened tartar above the gum line, combined with better home care, is usually enough to fully resolve the inflammation.
Deep cleaning (scaling and root planing): Where pockets have formed, cleaning extends below the gum line. Tartar is removed from the root surfaces, which are then smoothed so gum tissue can reattach. This is often done under local anaesthetic across one or more appointments.
Antimicrobial treatment: Antibacterial rinses or localised antibiotics are sometimes used alongside deep cleaning to help control persistent infection.
Periodontal maintenance: After active treatment, more frequent cleans help keep the condition stable. Gum disease is managed long-term rather than cured, so ongoing monitoring matters.
Surgical treatment: In advanced cases, procedures such as flap surgery to access deep pockets, or bone and tissue grafting to rebuild lost support, may be recommended. These are generally carried out by a periodontist, and we can arrange a referral where it’s appropriate.
How to Protect Your Gums
- Brush twice daily for two minutes with a fluoride toothpaste and a soft-bristled brush
- Clean between your teeth daily with floss or interdental brushes, where gum disease usually begins
- Keep up regular check-ups and cleans so problems are caught before they cause damage
- Stop smoking, which is the most significant modifiable risk factor
- Mention any changes to your gums, health conditions or medications at your appointments
Concerned About Your Gums? Talk to Camira Dental
If your gums bleed when you brush, feel tender, or have started to recede, it’s worth having them assessed. Gum disease responds far better to early treatment, and an assessment is straightforward.
Camira Dental provides gum disease assessment and treatment for families across Ipswich, from routine cleans through to ongoing periodontal care. We’ll explain what we find, what stage you’re at, and what your options are, without pressure.
Book an appointment online or give us a call.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can gum disease be reversed?
Gingivitis can be fully reversed with professional cleaning and good daily care. Periodontitis cannot be reversed, because the bone and attachment already lost don’t regenerate, but it can be stopped from progressing further and kept stable long-term.
Is gum disease painful?
Often not, especially early on. Many people have moderate gum disease with no pain at all. Pain tends to appear only once the condition is advanced or an abscess has developed, which is why symptoms like bleeding shouldn’t be ignored.
How long does it take to treat gum disease?
Gingivitis usually resolves within a few weeks of a professional clean and improved home care. Periodontitis requires a course of treatment over several appointments, followed by ongoing maintenance visits.
Can I treat gum disease at home?
Improved brushing and flossing can resolve very mild gingivitis, but hardened tartar can’t be removed at home, and pockets below the gum line can’t be cleaned with a toothbrush. Home care supports treatment; it doesn’t replace it.