A smiling woman in a sunlit room at seesmile

Everyday care

Gum disease treatment in North York

Care for bleeding gums and gum disease, matched to its stage. We’ll explain what we find and the cost before you decide.

Book a check-up →Call (647) 474-7980

Gum care

Gums that bleed when you brush are easy to ignore, because early gum disease often has no other obvious signs. Caught early, it can be reversed. We check your gums at every check-up and treat gum disease with care matched to its stage.

Two stages

What is gum disease?

Gum disease starts when plaque builds up along and under the gumline. It has two stages.

  • Gingivitis: the early stage. Gums may look red or puffy and may bleed when you brush. It can be prevented and reversed.1,2
  • Periodontitis: the advanced stage. The infection breaks down the gum attachment and the bone that hold teeth in place. Teeth can loosen, and some may be lost.3
Illustration of the same back tooth three times: healthy gums, gingivitis with red, puffy gums, and periodontitis with gum and bone loss and tartar on the roots

Signs

Do my gums need care?

Early gum disease often has few signs. Watch for:

  • Gums that bleed when you brush or clean between your teeth3
  • Red or puffy gums2
  • Bad breath that doesn't go away3,4
  • Gums pulling back from the teeth
  • Teeth that feel loose or are moving apart3
A team member welcoming patients at the seesmile front desk

Step by step

What to expect

01

Gum assessment

We measure the small space between each tooth and its gum, check for bleeding and recession, and may take X-rays to look at the bone. We explain what we find and the plan.

02

Treatment matched to the stage

Early gum disease may improve with a professional cleaning and good home care.3 For more advanced gum disease, we may recommend a deep cleaning to remove plaque and tartar from below the gumline, done here at the studio.6

03

Re-check and maintenance

We re-check your gums after a deep cleaning, then set regular maintenance visits, usually every 3 to 12 months depending on your risk.6,7

Your health

Does gum health affect diabetes?

For people with diabetes and gum disease, treating the gum disease may also help improve blood sugar control.8 It works alongside your usual diabetes care, not in place of it. Tell us about your health history so we can plan your care.

Good to know

What can treatment do?

Treatment can stop gum disease from getting worse, but bone that has already been lost does not usually grow back on its own. Results depend a great deal on home care and on not smoking. For more serious gum disease that does not respond to regular care, your dentist may refer you to a periodontist, a gum specialist with at least three extra years of training.9

If the gums do not heal as hoped after a deep cleaning, gum surgery may be considered.6

Fees

Cost and insurance

Fees depend on your treatment, and we never charge more than the Ontario Dental Association (ODA) fee guide. We bill your insurance directly and accept the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP). With CDCP, you pay only your CDCP co-payment, or nothing if CDCP covers 100% of your care, and we never charge the difference between the CDCP and ODA fee guides. You'll know the cost before you decide. See insurance, direct billing and CDCP.

Visit our studio

Find us on Sheppard Avenue East.

Address

175 Sheppard Avenue East
North York, ON M2N 3A6

Getting here

About a 10-minute walk from Sheppard–Yonge station.

Parking

Free underground parking is available.

Hours

Monday–Friday
9 am–8 pm
Saturday
9 am–4 pm
The seesmile Dental Studio storefront on Sheppard Avenue East in North York

Book a check-up.

New to seesmile? Start with our new-patient visit.

Book online → Call (647) 474-7980

A gum assessment is needed to decide which treatment is right for you.

Questions

Questions, answered.

Bleeding gums can be an early sign of gum disease.2,3 Keep brushing gently and cleaning between your teeth, and book an assessment so we can find the cause.

Early gum disease (gingivitis) can be reversed with professional cleaning and good home care.1 Advanced gum disease can be controlled, but lost bone does not usually grow back on its own.

A deep cleaning (scaling and root planing) removes plaque and tartar from the root surfaces below the gumline, inside the gum pockets.6 It is different from a standard cleaning, which is for healthy gums.

A gum assessment can be part of a regular check-up. A deep cleaning may be done over one or more appointments, depending on how many areas need care. Your plan shows the number of visits before you begin.

Anyone can develop gum disease. Risk is higher with tobacco use, which may be one of the most significant risk factors, and with diabetes. Genetics, stress, some medications, and clenching or grinding can also play a part.4,5

Our $99 new-patient visit: a full exam, X-rays as the dentist decides are needed, and a standard cleaning for healthy gums. Deeper cleaning may need extra appointments and fees. If your gums need a deep cleaning, you will know the plan and the fee before we start.

After treatment, most people need maintenance visits every 3 to 12 months, depending on their risk.7 The dentist will recommend an interval for you.

Related pages: Cleanings and check-ups · Tooth extraction · Night and sports guards · Dental implants · Insurance and CDCP · Family dentistry

Sources
  1. Canadian Dental Association. Gingivitis. https://www.cda-adc.ca/for-the-public/understanding-your-oral-health/complications/gingivitis
  2. American Dental Association, MouthHealthy. Gum disease. https://www.mouthhealthy.org/all-topics-a-z/gum-disease
  3. Canadian Dental Association. Gum disease. https://www.cda-adc.ca/for-the-public/understanding-your-oral-health/complications/gum-diseases
  4. American Dental Association, MouthHealthy. Gum disease (risk factors and signs). https://www.mouthhealthy.org/all-topics-a-z/gum-disease
  5. American Academy of Periodontology. Gum disease risk factors. https://www.perio.org/for-patients/gum-disease-information/gum-disease-risk-factors/
  6. American Academy of Periodontology. Non-surgical treatments. https://www.perio.org/for-patients/periodontal-treatments-and-procedures/non-surgical-treatments/
  7. Sanz M, et al. Treatment of stage I–III periodontitis: the EFP S3 level clinical practice guideline. Journal of Clinical Periodontology 2020;47 Suppl 22:4–60. PMID 32383274. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32383274/
  8. Simpson TC, Clarkson JE, Worthington HV, et al. Treatment of periodontitis for glycaemic control in people with diabetes mellitus. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2022, CD004714.pub4. https://www.cochrane.org/CD004714/ORAL_treating-gum-disease-help-control-blood-sugar-levels-people-diabetes
  9. Canadian Dental Association. Gum diseases FAQs. https://www.cda-adc.ca/for-the-public/faqs/gum-diseases-faqs
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