Gum disease (gingivitis and periodontitis): signs and treatment
What gingivitis and periodontitis are, why bleeding gums matter, the link with diabetes and tobacco, how gum disease is treated, and how to prevent it.
Also known as: Periodontal Disease; Plaque, Dental
What gum disease is
Gum disease is infection and inflammation of the tissues that hold the teeth in place. It starts with plaque — a sticky film of bacteria that forms on teeth every day. If plaque is not removed by brushing and cleaning between the teeth, it hardens into tartar (calculus), which only a dentist can remove.
The early stage is gingivitis: the gums become red, swollen and bleed easily. Gingivitis is reversible with good cleaning. If it is left untreated, it can progress to periodontitis, in which the gums pull away from the teeth, pockets form, and the bone that supports the teeth is slowly destroyed. Periodontitis is a major cause of tooth loss in adults. The damage can be stopped, but lost bone does not fully grow back.
Symptoms
Gum disease is often painless, so many people do not notice it until it is advanced. Signs include:
- Bleeding gums when brushing, flossing or eating hard food
- Red, swollen gums that may feel tender
- Bad breath or a bad taste that does not go away
- Receding gums, making teeth look longer
- Loose teeth, or teeth that have moved or spread apart
- Pus between teeth and gums
- A change in how your teeth fit together when you bite
Bleeding gums are not normal and are not a reason to stop brushing. They are usually a sign that the gums need more, gentler cleaning — and a dental check.
Causes and who is at risk in India
- Plaque and tartar from incomplete brushing and not cleaning between the teeth
- Tobacco in any form — smoking, beedis, gutka, khaini and paan with tobacco — which also hides bleeding and slows healing
- Areca nut (supari) chewing, which also damages the mouth lining
- Diabetes, especially when poorly controlled
- Hormonal changes in pregnancy
- Stress, poor nutrition and some medicines that cause dry mouth or gum overgrowth
- Crowded teeth and old fillings or crowns that trap food
- A family tendency to gum disease
Gum disease and diabetes affect each other: diabetes makes gum infection more likely and more severe, and severe gum disease can make blood sugar harder to control. Treating gum disease is part of good diabetes care.
How it is diagnosed
- Dental examination — the dentist looks at the gums for redness, swelling, bleeding, tartar and recession
- Periodontal probing — a thin measuring probe gently checks the depth of the space between each tooth and the gum; deeper pockets mean more advanced disease
- Dental X-rays — show how much bone has been lost around the teeth
The dentist may ask about diabetes, tobacco use and medicines, and may suggest a blood sugar test if gum disease is severe or unexpected.
Which dentist or doctor to see
A dentist diagnoses and treats gum disease. Advanced periodontitis may be referred to a periodontist, a dentist who specialises in gums. If you have diabetes, keep your diabetologist informed, and if you have gum disease and frequent infections, thirst or tiredness, ask about a diabetes test.
You can find dentists in Bengaluru or diabetologists in Bengaluru on The Doctor Index, each with a registration you can check.
Treatment
- Better brushing and flossing — the foundation of all treatment. Brush twice a day for two minutes with fluoride toothpaste and a soft brush, angled towards the gum line, and clean between the teeth daily with floss or interdental brushes.
- Professional cleaning (scaling) — removes tartar above the gum line. For gingivitis, this with good home care is usually enough.
- Scaling and root planing — a deep cleaning under local anaesthetic that removes tartar and bacteria from the roots below the gum line and smooths them so gums can reattach.
- Antiseptic mouthwash — such as chlorhexidine, sometimes used for a short period as advised. It can stain teeth with long use and does not replace brushing.
- Antibiotics — occasionally used for severe or aggressive disease, as prescribed by the dentist.
- Periodontal surgery — for deep pockets that do not respond, to clean the roots, reshape the gum or regenerate some lost bone. Lost teeth can be replaced with bridges, dentures or implants.
Scaling does not loosen teeth or weaken them — a common worry. Teeth may feel slightly sensitive or loose afterwards because tartar was holding them, but as gums heal they tighten around the teeth. Do not stop treatment midway because of mild sensitivity.
Prevention and follow-up
- Brush twice daily with fluoride toothpaste and clean between the teeth every day
- Stop tobacco in all forms, and areca nut; the National Tobacco Quit Line 1800-112-356 (toll-free) can help
- Keep diabetes well controlled
- Visit a dentist for a check-up and cleaning at least once a year, more often if you have had periodontitis
- Eat a balanced diet and limit sugary snacks
Pregnant women should have a dental check, as hormonal changes make gums more likely to bleed and swell. Dental cleaning is generally safe during pregnancy; tell your dentist that you are pregnant.
When it is an emergency
See a dentist urgently for a painful swelling in the gum or face. Call 112 or 108, or go to the nearest emergency department, for:
- Facial or neck swelling that is spreading, with fever
- Difficulty swallowing, breathing or opening the mouth
- Bleeding from the gums that will not stop, or unexplained bleeding and bruising elsewhere
Questions to ask at your appointment
- Do I have gingivitis or periodontitis, and how advanced is it?
- Do I need deep cleaning or surgery?
- Am I brushing and cleaning between my teeth correctly?
- How often should I come for cleaning?
- Could diabetes or my medicines be playing a part?
- What are my options if a tooth is lost?
Common questions
Questions people ask
- Should I stop brushing if my gums bleed?
- No. Bleeding is usually a sign of plaque at the gum line. Keep brushing gently but thoroughly, and clean between your teeth. Bleeding usually reduces within a couple of weeks of better cleaning. If it does not, see a dentist.
- Does scaling damage the teeth?
- No. Scaling removes hardened tartar that brushing cannot. Teeth may feel sensitive or slightly loose for a short time afterwards because tartar was covering them, but gums heal and tighten. Regular cleaning protects the teeth from gum disease.
- Is gum disease linked to diabetes?
- Yes. People with diabetes are more likely to develop gum disease and to have it more severely, and untreated gum infection can make blood sugar harder to control. Good dental care and diabetes control support each other, so tell your dentist if you have diabetes.
- Can gum disease be reversed?
- Gingivitis can be fully reversed with good cleaning at home and professional scaling. Periodontitis can be stopped and controlled, but bone that has been lost does not fully grow back. Early treatment saves teeth.
This condition is usually assessed by a dentist. Every profile shows the doctor’s registration and what has been checked.
Dentists in Bangalore
A few dentists listed on The Doctor Index. They are shown because of their speciality, not a stated interest in Gum Disease; ask the clinic whether the doctor sees it.
Related conditions
Practical reading
All postsSources
- MedlinePlus, US National Library of Medicine — Gum Disease
- World Health Organization — Oral health fact sheet
- American Academy of Periodontology — Gum disease information
- National Tobacco Control Programme, MoHFW — National Tobacco Quit Line Services
- MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine — Gum Disease — Public-domain health-topic summary
Gum disease (gingivitis and periodontitis): signs and treatment is original text by The Doctor Index; the compiled source draft was used for research. Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine. Orphadata Science: Free access data from Orphanet. © INSERM 1999; July 2026 data, CC BY 4.0. This product uses the Human Phenotype Ontology (hp/releases/2026-09-01). Only sources listed for this article apply. Source material has been selected and arranged; HPO definitions are reproduced without alteration. No source organisation endorses this compilation. Köhler S et al. The Human Phenotype Ontology project: linking molecular biology and disease through phenotype data. Nucleic Acids Research 2014;42(D1):D966–D974. doi:10.1093/nar/gkt1026.
General information, not advice about your situation. Errors can be reported through the corrections process. Reference TDI-C-1066.