What Kind Of Dentist Is Best For Gum Disease?

Whites Dental Waterloo

Example Icon 0208 616 0590

Example Icon 172 Blackfriars Rd, London SE1 8ER

Whites Dental Marble Arch (W2)

Example Icon 0203 576 2325

Example Icon 52B Kendal St, St George's Fields, London W2 2BP


Key Takeaway

  • The best dentist for gum disease is a periodontist — a specialist trained in diagnosing, treating, and managing all stages of gum disease.
  • General dentists can manage early gum inflammation (gingivitis), but moderate and advanced gum disease require a periodontist
  • Periodontists provide advanced treatments such as deep cleaning, gum surgery, regenerative procedures, and bone grafting.
  • Early diagnosis ensures better results, less invasive treatment and a higher chance of saving your natural teeth

💡 Whites Dental offers specialist periodontal care for gum disease at Waterloo and Marble Arch (W2) for patients across Central London who need expert gum treatment.

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Introduction: Who Should Treat Gum Disease?

When people first notice bleeding gums, bad breath, or gum recession, they’re often unsure which dental professional they need to see.

  • Is a regular dentist enough?
  • Do you need a gum specialist?
  • Who handles advanced gum disease?

The truth is: the right type of dentist for gum disease depends on how severe the condition is.

Mild gum inflammation can often be handled by a general dentist or hygienist. But once gum disease becomes more advanced — when pockets form, bone is lost, or teeth start to loosen — the best dentist to treat gum disease is a periodontist.

This article breaks down exactly who treats what, when you need a specialist and why choosing the right clinician makes a huge difference for your long-term oral health.

Understanding Gum Disease Before Choosing The Right Dentist

Gum Disease Periodontal Treatment - Whites Dental London

To know which professional is best, you first need to understand the different stages of gum disease.

Gingivitis

  • Early stage
  • Red or bleeding gums
  • Reversible
  • Can be treated by a general dentist or hygienist

Periodontitis

  • More advanced
  • Gum pockets, bone loss
  • Not reversible, but manageable
  • Requires a periodontist

Advanced Periodontitis

  • Loose teeth
  • Significant gum recession
  • High risk of tooth loss
  • Must be treated by a periodontist

Because advanced gum disease affects the deeper tissues and bone around the teeth, only a periodontal specialist is qualified to treat it effectively.

General Dentist Vs Periodontist: What’s The Difference?

Many patients don’t realise there’s a big difference between what a general dentist and a periodontist can do — especially when it comes to gum disease.

General Dentist

A general dentist provides overall oral care including:

  • Routine check-ups
  • Fillings.
  • Regular hygiene cleaning
  • Preventative advice
  • Early gum disease management (gingivitis)

General dentists are excellent for basic gum care, but do not have the advanced surgical training or diagnostic expertise to treat severe gum disease.

Periodontist

A periodontist is a dental specialist focused entirely on:

  • Gum disease
  • Bone loss
  • Gum recession
  • Loose teeth.
  • Surgical and regenerative procedures.

They receive three additional years of specialist training after dental school specifically in diagnosing, treating, and managing periodontal disease.

💡 If gum disease is beyond the earliest stage, a periodontist is the best dentist to treat it.

Why A Periodontist Is The Best Dentist For Gum Disease

Private Dentist - Whites Dental London

Periodontists specialise in saving teeth that might otherwise be lost to gum disease. Here’s why they are the ideal clinician for anything beyond mild inflammation.

They Have Advanced Diagnostic Tools

Periodontists use highly specialised tools such as:

  • Digital probing systems
  • Detailed pocket-depth charts
  • 3D imaging
  • Microscopic bacteria analysis.

These help them identify bone loss and infection long before symptoms become visible.

They Understand The Biology Of Gum And Bone Breakdown

Gum disease is not just a surface problem — it’s a deep infection affecting supporting structures.

Periodontists are experts in:

  • Bone regeneration
  • Soft tissue healing
  • Immune response.
  • Periodontal bacteria

This knowledge allows them to stop gum disease more predictably.

They Perform Advanced Gum And Bone Treatments

General dentists cannot legally perform most surgical periodontal procedures.
Periodontists can perform:

  • Deep cleaning (scaling & root planing)
  • Gum grafts
  • Bone grafts
  • Regenerative therapy
  • Pocket reduction surgery
  • Antimicrobial treatments
  • Advanced periodontal maintenance

They Can Save Teeth That Would Otherwise Be Lost

Even teeth with:

  • Severe bone loss
  • Deep gum pockets.
  • Mobility
  • Recession
    can often be saved through periodontal treatment.

💡 A periodontist gives your teeth the best chance of survival.

When Should You See a Periodontist?

Many patients wait too long — often until their gum disease has progressed significantly. You should see a periodontist if you experience:

  • Bleeding gums
  • Bad breath
  • Gum recession
  • Deep pockets.
  • Loose teeth.
  • Spaces developing between teeth
  • Pain when chewing.
  • Pus between the gums and teeth
  • A history of gum disease
  • Family history of periodontal disease

💡 If any of these sound familiar, a periodontist is the best clinician to evaluate and treat the issue.

Can Hygienists Treat Gum Disease?

Dental hygienists play an incredibly important role in gum health. They are the experts in:

  • Professional cleaning
  • Oral hygiene instruction.
  • Flossing and interdental cleaning guidance
  • Early-stage gum disease prevention

Hygienists are often the first to spot signs of gum disease, but they cannot treat advanced periodontal disease or perform surgical procedures.

💡 Hygienists work closely with both dentists and periodontists, especially after specialist treatment.

Types Of Treatment Performed By A Periodontist

Periodontists offer a wide range of gum treatments specifically designed to stop gum disease and protect long-term oral health.

Scaling And Root Planing (Deep Cleaning)

A thorough cleaning beneath the gumline that removes plaque, tartar and toxic bacteria.

Periodontal Maintenance

Regular cleaning every 3–4 months to prevent bacterial regrowth.

Gum Surgery

Used when gum pockets are too deep to clean with nonsurgical methods.

Bone Regeneration

A procedure to rebuild lost bone around teeth.

Gum Grafting

Repairs gum recession and protects exposed roots.

Laser Periodontal Treatment

Can be used in some cases to remove infected tissue

Anti-Microbial Therapy

Medications or gels delivered into gum pockets to fight infection.

Crown Lengthening

Helps reshape gum tissue or prepare teeth for restorative procedures.

Treatment For Peri-Implantitis

Gum disease around dental implants.

💡 Only a periodontist can provide the full scope of these treatments safely and effectively.

Why Seeing The Right Specialist Matters For Long-Term Health

Gum disease is not just an oral problem — it is strongly linked to systemic health issues such as:

  • Heart disease
  • Respiratory infections
  • Diabetes complications
  • Cognitive decline
  • Pregnancy complications
  • Inflammatory conditions

💡 Treating gum disease early and thoroughly with the right dentist can help protect your overall health.

Why Patients Choose Whites Dental For Gum Disease Treatment

Whites Dental offers specialist periodontal care for all stages of gum disease. Our periodontal services are available at two Central London locations:

Whites Dental Waterloo
172 Blackfriars Rd, London SE1 8ER
☎️ 020 8616 0590

Whites Dental Marble Arch (W2)
52B Kendal St, St George’s Fields, London W2 2BP
☎️ 020 3576 2325

Why our patients trust us

  • Specialist periodontist
  • Advanced diagnostics
  • Evidence-based treatment
  • Supportive hygiene care
  • Friendly, patient-focused team
  • Easy Central London access

💡 We help patients manage gum disease at every level — from early signs to advanced cases requiring specialist intervention.

How To Know Which Dentist You Need

Here’s a simple guide:

If you have mild gum bleeding →

See a general dentist or hygienist.

If your gums bleed regularly, recede, or your breath smells bad →

See a periodontist.

If you have loose teeth or bone loss →

You must see a periodontist urgently.

If you’re unsure →

A periodontal consultation will provide clarity.

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Conclusion: What Kind Of Dentist Is Best For Gum Disease?

A general dentist can support your gum health and manage mild gingivitis, but a periodontist is the best to treat gum disease — especially periodontitis or advanced cases.

If you want predictable, long-term results and the best chance of saving your natural teeth, specialist periodontal care is essential.

Related Articles

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Whites Dental (“we”, “us” or “our”) are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy.

The practice respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal data. This Privacy Policy sets out how we will do this, taking into account data protection laws as well as our professional guidelines and requirements.

The data controller is Whites Dental; the Information Governance Lead is Deepa Chopra.

This Privacy Policy is available on the practice website at www.whitesdental.co.uk/privacy-policy, by email if you contact [email protected] or by calling the practice on 0204 527 3210.

This policy (together with our Cookies Policy) sets out the basis on which any personal data we collect, or that you provide to us, will be processed by us. It does not include data where the identity has been removed (i.e. anonymous data).

Please read the following carefully to understand our views and practices regarding your personal data and how we will treat it.

You will be asked to provide personal information when joining the practice. The purpose of us processing this data is to provide optimum health care to you by, for example, recommending the most relevant treatment and ensuring your safety by taking your medical history.

The categories of data we process

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The ways we collect information about you

We may collect and process the following data about you in operating the website and performing any of our services and treatment(s):

Direct
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From third parties
  • Our Clinical Lead, Specialists, Dentists, Hygienists and Orthodontic Therapists are third parties working for us as contractors, however, they are contractually bound to us with regard to obligations of confidentiality in the same way as our employees and by professional obligations of confidentiality.
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How we share data with third parties

We may share your Contact data, special category of data relating to health, Financial data, Treatment data and/or Usage data with selected third parties including:

  • Our Clinical Lead, Specialists, Dentists, Hygienists and Orthodontic Therapists.
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  • Equipment providers and laboratories such as Align Tech, Nimrodental, and Ashford Orthodontics.
  • Professional compliance organisations such as BDA.
  • Data storage and transfer platforms such as Microsoft Sharepoint and Dropbox.
  • Our payment platform Natwest.
  • Our practice management and CRM software providers Pearl.
  • Our live chat provider Quriobot.
  • Advertisers and advertising networks that require the data to select and serve relevant adverts to you and others such as Facebook.
  • Analytics and search engine providers that assist us in the improvement and optimisation of our site such as Google.

This is a list of the main third parties with whom we share your personal data. If you would like a full list of third parties who process your data, and their contact details, please contact us using the details set out above.

We never pass your personal details to a third party unless we have a contract for them to process data on our behalf and will otherwise keep it confidential.

If we intend to refer a patient to another practitioner or to secondary care such as a hospital we will gain your consent before the referral is made and the personal data is shared.

The website may include links to third party websites, plugins and applications. Clicking on those links or enabling those connections may allow third parties to collect or share data about you. We do not control these third party websites and are not responsible for their privacy statements. When you leave our website, we encourage you to read the privacy notice of every website you visit.

Data transferred outside the EU

  • Personal data is stored in the EU whether in digital or hard copy format.
  • Personal data is stored in the US in digital format when the data storage company is certified with the EU-US Privacy Shield.

Lawful basis for processing personal data

The lawful bases for processing personal data (including providing your personal data to third parties) are:

  • Consent of the data subject for data relating to treatment, care, our services, processing payment, credit checks, marketing and reviews, improving our services and improving our website (including using data analytics). This will also apply to the storage of personal data for these purposes.
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For consent relating to children and people who may not have mental capacity to give consent, please contact us using the details above for a copy of our Safeguarding and Mental Capacity policies.

The reason for processing special category data such as patients’ health data is:

  • The processing is necessary for the purposes of preventative or occupational medicine, for assessing the working capacity of the employee, medical diagnosis, the provision of health or social care or treatment or management of health or social care systems and services on the basis of Union or Member State law or a contract with a health professional; and
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We (and the third parties listed above) process your personal data for the following purposes:

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If you would like more information about how your data is processed please contact us by using the details set out above.

Data retention

The retention period for special category data in patient records is a minimum of 10 years and may be longer for complex records in order to meet our legal requirements. The retention periods for other personal data is two years after it was last processed.

You will receive marketing emails until you unsubscribe, either by contacting us or by clicking on the unsubscribe link at the bottom of the email. For details of other retention periods please contact us using the details set out above.

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You have the following personal data rights:

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You have the right to withdraw consent at any time. If you request us to do so, we will no longer process your data. However, this will not affect the lawfulness of any processing carried out before you withdraw your consent. If you withdraw your consent, we will not be able to provide you with the services. You have the right to obtain a free copy of your patient records within one month of submitting a request.

If you are not a patient of the practice you have the right to withdraw consent for processing personal data, to have a free copy of it within one month of submitting a request, to correct errors in it or to ask us to delete it. You can also withdraw consent from communication methods such as telephone, email or text.

We have carried out a Privacy Impact Assessment and if you would like a copy please contact us using the details set out above.

If you wish to exercise any of the rights set out above, in the first instance, please contact us using the details set out above.

You will not have to pay a fee to access your personal data (or to exercise any of the other rights). However, we may charge a reasonable fee if your request is clearly unfounded, repetitive or excessive. Alternatively, we may refuse to comply with your request in these circumstances.

We may need to request specific information from you to help us confirm your identity and ensure your right to access your personal data (or to exercise any of your other rights). This is a security measure to ensure that personal data is not disclosed to any person who has no right to receive it. We may also contact you to ask you for further information in relation to your request to speed up our response.

Further details of these rights can be obtained on the Information Commissioner’s website.

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We have put in place appropriate security measures to prevent your personal data from being lost, used or accessed in an unauthorised way, altered or disclosed. In addition, we limit access to your personal data to those employees, agents, contractors and other third parties who have a business need to know. They will only process your personal data on our instructions and they are subject to a duty of confidentiality.

We have put in place procedures to deal with any suspected personal data breach and will notify you and any applicable regulator of a breach where we are legally required to do so.

Unfortunately, the transmission of information via the internet is not completely secure. Although we will do our best to protect your personal data, we cannot guarantee the security of your data transmitted through our website; any transmission is at your own risk. Once we have received your information, we will use strict procedures and security features to try to prevent unauthorised access.

Comments, suggestions and complaints

Please contact the practice for a comment, suggestion or a complaint about your data processing at [email protected], or 0204 527 3210 or by writing to or visiting the practice. We take complaints very seriously.

If you are unhappy with our response or if you need any advice you should contact the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). Their telephone number is 0303 123 1113, you can also find other contact options here. The ICO can investigate your claim and take action against anyone who’s misused personal data. You can also visit their website for information on how to make a data protection complaint.

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Our consent for marketing requires a positive opt-in, we don’t use pre-ticked boxes or any other method of default consent. We make it easy for people to withdraw consent, tell you how to and keep contemporaneous evidence of consent. Consent to marketing is never a precondition of a service.

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