Gum Disease And Gingivitis: Symptoms & How To Treat It?
29 November 2025
Dental hygiene in Rotherham, with the gums measured
- Measure the gums and show you where the problems actually are
- Clean off what a toothbrush cannot reach
- Show you what to do differently at home, for your mouth
- Say how often you need to come back, and why
How often you need to come back depends on your gums rather than on a standard interval.
Not sure which appointment you need?
This is a guide to the right first appointment, not a diagnosis. Your dentist will talk through what is right for you once they have had a look.
Would rather just talk to someone? Call 01709 872292 or send an enquiry.
Paying for it
A scale and polish is one appointment and one fee. Treating gum disease properly is usually a course, so it is charged per visit instead.
That is the part worth asking about before you agree to anything: ask for the likely number of visits on the written estimate, not just the price of one. Nothing starts here before you have that in writing.
If you are on the membership plan, two scales in twelve months are already covered by it, so check what you have paid for before booking one.
What it costs
- Scale and polish
- Private £60
- Membership plan Included twice in 12 months
- Periodontal therapy per visit
- Private £125
- Membership plan £99
Fees are reviewed regularly. Please ask us for a current estimate.
Gums bleeding when you brush?
The hygienist measures the gums, shows you where the problems actually are, and cleans off what a toothbrush cannot reach.
Bleeding gums are not normal
Gums that bleed when you brush are inflamed, and inflammation is the early, reversible stage of gum disease. Most people assume they are brushing too hard. Usually the opposite is true.
Left alone, that inflammation can go deeper and start affecting the bone that holds teeth in place. That stage is manageable but not reversible, which is why the early one is worth catching.
The good news is that the early stage responds quickly, often within weeks, to a proper clean and a change in technique at home.
Worth knowing
It is not just about the mouth
Gum disease is linked to several general health conditions, and it can be harder to control if you smoke or have diabetes. That is a reason for more support, not less.
Cleaning between teeth matters most
Gum disease starts between the teeth, which is exactly where a brush does not reach. Floss or interdental brushes are not an optional extra.
How often depends on you
Some people need seeing more often than others. We will tell you what we think is right for your mouth rather than putting everyone on the same interval.
Book a hygiene appointment
Send an enquiry and reception will find you a time, or call the practice during opening hours.
What patients say about this treatment
Left on Google by patients of this practice, unedited, each one linking back to the review it was taken from.
Very happy with my experience I’m scared of the dentist had a tooth pulled then on another appointment had a deep clean staff was brilliant was very patient with me even put up with my tears would highly recommend
Response from Fitzwilliam Dental
Thank you so much for your lovely review!
We completely understand how daunting it can be coming to the dentist, and we’re so proud of you for getting through both appointments — especially the deep clean! Our team always aims to be patient and understanding, and it means a lot to know we helped you feel more at ease. Thank you again for recommending us! :-)
I started attending this dentist after my move to the area and I have had nothing but positive words to say about my dentist, hygienist and the receptionists who are every friendly, informative and supportive. Thank you for the great experiences !
Response from Fitzwilliam Dental
Thank you so much for your kind words! We're delighted to hear that you've had such positive experiences with our entire team—from the dentist and hygienist to our friendly reception staff. It means a lot to know you feel informed, supported, and well cared for!
A brilliant dentist, did a deep clean without injections for sensitive gums.
Response from Fitzwilliam Dental
We’re so glad to hear that you had a positive experience with your deep clean, and that our approach worked well for your sensitive gums. It’s great to know we could make the process comfortable for you!
Questions people ask
Gum disease is the thing most people on this page are actually asking about, so most of this is about that.
What is gum disease, exactly?
It is your body reacting to plaque, the film of bacteria that forms on teeth every day. Left on the gum line, plaque hardens into tartar and the gum around it becomes inflamed.
The first stage is gingivitis. It is very common and it reverses if it is dealt with early. If it is left, it can develop into periodontitis, and that stage damages the tissue and bone holding the tooth in place. The gum comes away from the tooth, a pocket forms between the two, and more plaque collects in it below the gum line where no brush reaches.
That damage does not come back. It can be stopped and managed, which is the reason the early stage is worth catching.
How would I know if I had it?
Often you would not, which is the difficulty with it. Gum disease is usually painless and how it shows up varies a lot from person to person, so it can be well advanced before anything obvious happens. It is one of the things being seen regularly is actually for.
Signs worth mentioning to us:
- Bleeding gums when you brush, or bleeding on their own
- Red or swollen gums
- Bad breath, or a bad taste that does not shift
- Teeth that feel loose
- Gums that look like they are receding
- Painful gum infections that keep coming back
- Teeth drifting, so gaps open up between them
What makes it more likely, or harder to treat?
There is often a family history. On top of that, smoking, cleaning that is not quite getting there, stress and poorly controlled diabetes all make gum disease worse and can make the damage to the supporting tissue worse with it.
Smoking matters twice over: people who smoke get gum disease more readily and do not respond to treatment as well as people who do not. Stopping is genuinely the single most useful thing a smoker with gum disease can do about it.
None of this is a reason to keep away. If something on that list applies to you it means you need more support, not less, and occasionally it means we ask you to speak to your GP as well.
How do you work out how bad it is?
With a few measurements around each tooth, x-rays to see how much of the supporting bone has been lost, and a look through your medical history for anything on the list above.
That is what decides whether you need a clean, a course of treatment, or just watching. You will be told which and why, not simply booked in for something.
What does the treatment itself involve?
Tartar above the gum line comes off during a scale and polish. Tartar that has formed below it, on the root surface, is a different job: getting it off thoroughly and comfortably usually needs local anaesthetic, and that is what a deep clean means. Its proper name is root surface debridement.
For most people that, plus regular maintenance appointments afterwards, is enough to keep gum disease under control. Occasionally we will suggest referring you to a specialist in gum problems, which can involve a surgical procedure.
Some of it can be sensitive. You can ask us to stop at any point and we will.
How often should I be coming?
It depends on your mouth rather than on a rule. We assess your gums at each examination and tell you what interval we think is right for you.
In practice that means some people are seen for a scale every six months and others do better coming every three. If your gums are stable, being told to come less often is a real answer and you will get it.
What do I need to do at home?
Most of the work, honestly. How well periodontal treatment goes depends heavily on how well the mouth is looked after between appointments, and no amount of cleaning in a surgery makes up for a gap in the routine at home.
Twice a day, two minutes, and then clean between the teeth with floss or interdental brushes. That second half is not an optional extra: gum disease generally starts between the teeth, and that is precisely where a toothbrush does not go.
You will get advice for your mouth specifically, including which size of interdental brush actually fits your gaps, which is more use than being told to brush twice a day.
