Gum screening
We record which sites bleed, measure pocket depths around every tooth and check for recession and mobility, giving a baseline to compare against after treatment.
About this treatmentDental condition · Wimpole Street, Marylebone
Bleeding gums: an early warning worth acting on
Healthy gum does not bleed when you brush or floss it, however firmly. A pink tinge in the sink, or on the floss, means the tissue is inflamed, and in the vast majority of cases the reason is plaque that has been sitting undisturbed along the gum edge for a few days. Caught at this stage the inflammation reverses within weeks. Ignored, it can progress in some people to periodontitis, where the bone holding the teeth begins to be lost. Our Wimpole Street dentists and hygienists measure exactly where and how much your gums bleed, clean what you cannot reach, and show you how to keep it that way.
Recognising it
How it usually feels
Blood on the brush, floss or in rinsed water
The defining sign, even if it only happens in one area.
Gums that look glossy, rounded or darker pink
Healthy gum is matt, pale pink and knife-edged where it meets the tooth.
Tenderness when brushing or eating crusty food
Inflamed tissue is more sensitive to touch and pressure.
A stale taste or persistent breath odour
Bacteria in inflamed pockets produce sulphur compounds.
Gums pulling back to expose more tooth
Suggests inflammation has been present for some time.
Teeth that feel slightly loose or have drifted
A sign of possible bone loss and a reason to be seen promptly.
Behind the symptoms
What's going on
- 01
Plaque along the gum margin
Plaque is a living film of bacteria that reforms within hours of brushing. Left for two or three days at the gum edge, it triggers the body to send more blood to the area. The tiny vessels in inflamed gum are fragile, so even a soft brush makes them leak.
- 02
Gingivitis
This is the clinical name for that early, plaque-driven inflammation. Bone and ligament are untouched, which is why it is fully reversible once the plaque is controlled. Most adults have some gingivitis somewhere in the mouth at any one time.
- 03
Periodontitis
In a proportion of people, particularly smokers, those with diabetes or a family history, long-standing inflammation begins to destroy the fibres and bone anchoring the tooth. Pockets deepen, bleeding may lessen as the disease goes quiet, and teeth can eventually loosen. This needs structured treatment.
- 04
Brushing technique
Scrubbing hard with a medium or firm brush scrapes the gum and causes bleeding without removing plaque any better. Equally, brushing too gently or skipping the gum edge lets plaque build. A soft or electric brush angled at the gumline is usually the answer.
- 05
Hormones, medicines and general health
Pregnancy, puberty and some contraceptives heighten the gum response to plaque. Blood thinners, certain blood-pressure drugs and epilepsy medicines can cause bleeding or overgrowth. Vitamin C deficiency and blood disorders are rare causes we keep in mind.
- 06
Starting to floss
If you have just begun cleaning between your teeth, bleeding for the first week or so is expected as previously undisturbed plaque is removed. Persisting with gentle daily cleaning usually stops it; stopping because it bleeds is the wrong response.
Before your appointment
What you can do today
- Brush twice daily for two minutes with a soft or electric brush, angling bristles into the gum edge and letting them do the work rather than scrubbing.
- Clean between all teeth once a day with interdental brushes or floss, even if the gums bleed at first; it should ease within one to two weeks.
- Use a fluoride toothpaste and spit rather than rinse afterwards so the fluoride stays on the teeth.
- If you smoke, cutting down or stopping is the single most useful thing you can do for your gums.
- Do not stop taking prescribed blood thinners because of gum bleeding; mention it to us and your GP instead.
These are holding measures, not a substitute for an examination. Use any pain relief exactly as directed on the pack and check with a pharmacist if you take other medicines.
In the chair
How we treat it at Wimpole Street
Hygiene visit
Plaque and tartar are removed from above and just below the gum margin, teeth are polished and you are shown exactly where your cleaning is missing.
About this treatmentPeriodontal treatment
For pockets of four millimetres or more, deeper cleaning under local anaesthetic is carried out over two to four visits, then re-measured to confirm healing.
About this treatmentMaintenance programme
Once stable, regular hygiene appointments every three to six months keep bleeding in check and catch any relapse early.
About this treatmentFees
Costs to expect
At Wimpole Street a full examination including gum screening is expected to cost £95, and a hygiene visit from £89. For straightforward gingivitis, these two appointments plus improved cleaning at home are normally all that is required, with a review a few months later.
If periodontitis is diagnosed, a course of deeper cleaning is planned and quoted per visit after the screening, and we explain how many sessions we anticipate. Ongoing maintenance visits are charged at the standard hygiene fee. All figures are indicative and confirmed in writing before treatment begins.
Figures are indicative prices for Wimpole Street and are confirmed in a written plan once a dentist has examined you. Fees match our South Kensington and St Paul's clinics.
Don't wait if
When to see a dentist
- Bleeding has continued for more than two weeks despite careful daily cleaning between the teeth.
- Gums bleed on their own, when eating, or heavily enough to notice on the pillow.
- You have noticed recession, longer-looking teeth or new gaps opening between teeth.
- Any tooth feels loose or your bite seems to have shifted.
- You have diabetes, smoke, are pregnant or have a family history of gum disease.
- There is swelling, pus or a bad taste from a particular area of gum.
FAQ
Common questions
No. Bleeding on flossing means the gum between those teeth is inflamed because plaque has been left there. Continuing to clean the area gently every day removes the cause, and the bleeding should settle within a week or two. If it does not, book an assessment.
Susceptibility does. Some people mount a stronger inflammatory response to the same amount of plaque and lose bone more readily. If a parent lost teeth to gum disease, tell us, because it changes how closely we monitor you and how often we recommend hygiene visits.
For most people an oscillating-rotating electric brush removes plaque more consistently and, with its pressure sensor, discourages scrubbing. A manual brush used with good technique is perfectly adequate, but few people manage that reliably twice a day.
Not necessarily. Periodontitis can become less inflamed while still active, and recession suggests bone may already have been lost. A pocket-depth measurement and, where indicated, an X-ray tell us whether the disease is stable or continuing.
There is a well-established association between periodontitis and conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease, though the exact relationship is still being researched. Treating gum inflammation is worthwhile in its own right, and may have wider benefits.
Inflamed gums are more sensitive, so we go gently and can use a numbing gel or local anaesthetic where needed. Most people find the discomfort mild and short-lived, and gums feel considerably better within a few days as the inflammation subsides.
Marylebone, W1
Wimpole Street opens 1 October 2026
Leave your details and we will be in touch when the Marylebone diary opens. If the problem cannot wait, the same clinicians are already seeing patients in South Kensington and at St Paul's.
Related conditions
Opening 1 October 2026
Wimpole Street is not yet seeing patients. Until then, please book or call our South Kensington clinic on 020 7183 2362 or our St Paul's clinic on 020 7183 3709. Questions about the new clinic: wimpolestreet@md.co.uk.
Until we open
Need an appointment before 1 October 2026?
The same clinical team already works from two other Medical & Dental clinics. Book at either one now and, if you prefer, move your ongoing care to Wimpole Street once the doors open.
South Kensington
- 20 Old Brompton Road, London SW7 3DL
- Open seven days a week
- 020 7183 2362
St Paul's, City of London
- 5 Ave Maria Lane, London EC4M 7AQ
- Open Monday to Friday
- 020 7183 3709
