Gingivitis
Plaque irritates the gum margin. Bleeding and swelling, bone still intact.
MS Dental Mayfield · 181 Maitland Rd, Mayfield NSW 2304
Gum disease treatment in Mayfield, NSW
Bleeding gums might be the most ignored dental problem in Australia. They are also one of the simplest to fix. At MS Dental Mayfield we measure exactly how far things have slid, tell you straight what it will take to sort it, and put the cost in writing before we start.
181 Maitland Rd, Mayfield NSW 2304
Family-owned, three clinics Written estimates with item numbers Interest-free payment plans CDBS bulk billing for eligible children On major Maitland Rd bus routes
Worried about cost? Read how we handle that below.
Family-owned, three clinicsNot a corporate chain
317+ Google reviewsMayfield and inner Newcastle
AHPRA-registered dentistsDental Board of Australia
CDBS for children 2 to 17May be bulk billed if eligible
Mon–Fri 9:00 AM – 5:30 PMOn major bus routes
Quick answers
What gum disease is, and what treating it involves
Gum disease, which dentists call periodontal disease, is infection and swelling of the gums and the bone holding your teeth in place. Bacterial plaque at and below the gumline kicks it off. It starts as gingivitis, which touches gum tissue only, and it can shift into periodontitis, which wrecks bone and is a leading cause of adult tooth loss across Australia. Caught at the gingivitis stage it is usually reversible with a professional clean and better habits at home. Once it has tipped into periodontitis and bone has gone, that loss will not grow back — but the disease can be halted and kept steady for years. MS Dental handles both at our Mayfield clinic, 181 Maitland Rd, Mayfield NSW 2304.
Where can I get gum disease treated in Mayfield?
181 Maitland Rd, Mayfield NSW 2304.
MS Dental Mayfield at 181 Maitland Rd treats gum disease for people across Mayfield, Waratah, Georgetown, Islington, Tighes Hill, Carrington and the inner-Newcastle suburbs. We are a family-owned practice with three Newcastle clinics. The Mayfield clinic is open Monday to Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM.
Can I be treated without private health insurance?
Yes, and we plan for it openly.
You will get a written estimate with item numbers before treatment, so nothing sneaks up on you. Treatment can be spread out over time rather than done all in one go, and interest-free payment plans are available subject to eligibility. Children aged 2 to 17 may be bulk billed under the Child Dental Benefit Schedule. Read the full detail ↓
What happens at a gum disease appointment?
History, examination, then measurement.
Your dentist runs through your medical history and medications, looks over your teeth and gums, then measures the depth of the space between each tooth and gum at six points per tooth. Where needed, X-rays are taken to check bone level. After that you get your diagnosis, a staged plan and written costs.
Is it too late if I have not seen a dentist in years?
Almost never.
A long gap usually means more tartar and deeper pockets, not a hopeless case. Most people who wander back after years away can be stabilised, and the assessment itself is easy. The real question is how many teeth can be saved — and that gets answered by measuring, not guessing.
How long does treatment take?
One visit, or a course across a few.
Early gingivitis is usually one visit of 45 to 60 minutes plus a review. Moderate to advanced periodontitis usually runs two to four treatment visits, working through one section of the mouth at a time, then a review at six to eight weeks and maintenance visits every three to four months after that.
Who will be treating me?
Clinicians from across MS Dental.
Our Mayfield clinic is staffed by clinicians from right across MS Dental, all registered with the Dental Board of Australia (AHPRA), led by Principal Dentist Dr Monika Shah. Want to know who you will be seeing before you show up? Just ask reception when you book and they will tell you. Meet the team ↓
Signs & symptoms
How to tell whether you have gum disease
Gum disease is quiet. It rarely hurts until it is well along, which is why it usually shows up at a check-up rather than because something obviously went wrong. You do not need to diagnose yourself from this list, but if any of it sounds like your mouth, that is reason enough to book. Tick anything you have noticed — it takes a few seconds, and it gives our reception team something useful to work with.
Symptom record
Twelve changes our dentists ask about at a periodontal assessment, grouped by how easily they are missed. Your selections stay on this page.
Group A · The signs most people notice first Commonly spotted before there is any pain
Group B · The signs people tend to dismiss Easy to explain away, and each one is a reason to have your gums measured
Group C · The signs that mean do not wait Please telephone us rather than waiting for a routine visit
0 Nothing selected yet This is a symptom checklist, not a diagnosis. Only an examination and periodontal chart can tell you your stage. Book an assessment
Smoking hides the main warning sign
It squeezes the blood vessels in gum tissue, so smokers often see no bleeding even while the disease quietly gets worse. Smoke or vape? Then no bleeding tells you nothing useful, and a measured periodontal assessment is the only way to really know where you stand.
Pus, facial swelling or a tooth that has become painful and loose should not wait for a routine appointment — see emergency dentistry or call (02) 4023 3885.
The stages
Gingivitis to periodontitis: what changes at each stage
Gum disease moves through stages, and the stage you are at decides both what treatment looks like and how much of it can be undone. The first stage is usually fully reversible. The ones after it are not, though they can be stopped and held steady. Here is what is happening at each step, and what treatment can realistically achieve.
6points measured on every tooth
1–3mmthe depth of a healthy pocket
6–8wkuntil we re-chart and compare
Depths quoted are general guidance only. Your own readings, and what they mean for you, are explained at your appointment.
Early periodontitis
Pockets of 4 to 5 mm form, first bone loss visible on X-rays.
Moderate periodontitis
Pockets of 5 to 7 mm, clear bone loss, recession and sensitivity.
Advanced periodontitis
Pockets beyond 7 mm, substantial bone loss, loose or drifting teeth.
The stage you reach is not just about plaque. Plenty of the damage comes from your own immune reaction to the bacteria, and genetics, smoking, blood sugar control and medication all shape that reaction. Two people who clean their teeth exactly the same way can end up in wildly different places. So we jot down pocket depths as numbers and check them against each other at review, instead of guessing from how your gums look on the day.
Causes & risk factors
What causes gum disease
The trigger is dental plaque, a soft bacterial film that builds back up on teeth within hours of a clean. Leave it, and it hardens into tartar, which is rough, porous and impossible to brush away. That part is the same for everyone. What differs from patient to patient is how fierce their immune response is, and how many other factors are piled on top.
Things you can influence
Factors you can influence
These are where treatment and daily habits make the biggest difference to your outcome.
Cleaning that skips between the teethMost gum disease starts in the spaces a brush cannot reach. Brushing alone will not stop it.
Smoking and vapingThe biggest risk factor you can actually change. It ramps up severity, masks bleeding and drags out healing after treatment.
Blood glucose controlPoorly controlled diabetes and gum disease each push the other worse.
How often you eat sugarIt is the frequency that counts, not the amount.
Long gaps between visitsTartar builds up under the gumline whether it stings or not, and only a professional clean scrapes it away.
Stress and disrupted routineLinked to a weaker immune response, and brushing is usually the first habit people drop.
Worth knowing about
Factors you may not be able to change
These do not mean treatment will not work. They change how closely we monitor you.
Genetic susceptibilitySome people flare up far worse to the same plaque. Family history matters, so tell us about it.
AgeIt crops up more often as exposure stacks up over the years.
MedicationsCertain blood pressure drugs, immunosuppressants and anticonvulsants set off gum overgrowth. Plenty more dry out your mouth, which robs you of saliva's protection.
Hormonal changePregnancy, puberty and menopause leave gums touchier to plaque that is already sitting there.
Crowded or rotated teethHarder to clean. See teeth straightening without braces.
Grinding and clenchingIt dumps extra load onto teeth that already have less support. We might suggest a custom night guard.
Previous gum diseasePast disease is the single strongest hint of what is coming. Once you have had it, your maintenance intervals matter for life.
Bring your medication list to the appointment
Include whatever you grabbed at the pharmacy. Dry mouth from medication is one of the most commonly missed causes of gum disease, and it is very manageable once someone spots it.
Treatment options
Gum disease treatment in Mayfield: your options
Gum disease gets treated in stages, and which ones apply comes down to your pocket depths and how much bone you have lost. These run from least to most involved. Before anything kicks off, your dentist will walk you through which parts of the following matter for you, in what order, and what each one costs.
A full-mouth periodontal chart that records pocket depths at six points per tooth, bleeding on probing, recession, and tooth mobility, plus digital X-rays where they are needed to pin down bone level. This is your baseline. Without it, treatment cannot be aimed properly and there is no way to show progress.
We take plaque and tartar off from above and just below the gumline, then polish. For gingivitis, that plus fixing your home technique clears the inflammation in most people inside a month. And it is the treatment that keeps everything below it from ever being needed.
RelatedGeneral check-up and clean
Under local anaesthetic, we clean the root surfaces inside periodontal pockets of tartar and bacterial deposits and smooth them so the tissue can grab back on. This runs across two to four visits, usually one quadrant or half the mouth each time, so you stay comfortable and can eat normally in between. Staging spreads the cost too.
When one site will not budge with cleaning, we might use a localised antimicrobial gel or rinse, or prescribe antibiotics in limited cases after checking your medical history. These back up the mechanical cleaning. They do not replace it.
Where they are available, dental lasers let us treat inflamed gum tissue precisely and decontaminate periodontal pockets alongside mechanical cleaning, often with less bleeding and an easier recovery. If laser therapy is right for you, it is available at our Cardiff and Fletcher clinics, and we will tell you rather than trying to work around it.
RelatedLaser dental treatments
Sometimes the honest answer is that a tooth has lost too much support. Clinging to a failing tooth can put the neighbours at risk and make later replacement harder. We will talk you through the reasoning, and we will not push you into deciding in the chair.
Once the gums settle down, we can replace missing teeth in a way that accounts for the reduced bone support gum disease leaves behind. Stability first, replacement second.
Related Dentures Bridges Dental implants
If your case needs surgery or regenerative gum work that a general practice cannot touch, we will tell you straight and send you off to a registered periodontist. Your upkeep stays with us.
Once things calm down, your recall interval matters more than anything else in the plan. Periodontal bacteria creep back into cleaned pockets in about twelve weeks, so most folks with a history of periodontitis switch to visits every three or four months.
Our process
What happens, step by step
You will always know what is happening next, what it will cost, and why we are recommending it.
1
Book, and tell us what you have noticed
Call (02) 4023 3885 or book online. If you mention bleeding gums, swelling or a wobbly tooth, reception can carve out proper time for a periodontal assessment instead of a standard check-up slot.
2
Medical history first
Medications, medical conditions, whether you smoke, recent shifts in your health. All of that comes before we look at anything, because it changes both the diagnosis and the plan.
3
Examination and full periodontal charting
We look over your teeth, gums, bite and soft tissues, jot down pocket depths, and take digital X-rays where we need to see bone levels.
4
Findings explained plainly
You will hear your stage, your pocket depths, what caused it in your case, and what happens if you do nothing. No jargon. No pressure.
5
Written estimate, staged
Item numbers and costs, laid out in order so you can check your health fund if you have got one, split treatment across benefit years if that helps, or spread payments if it does not. We talk about cost before treatment, not after.
6
Active treatment
Cleaning and deep cleaning across however many visits your plan needs, with local anaesthetic anywhere we work below the gumline. Breaks whenever you want them.
7
Home care coached on your own mouth
We point out the exact spots you are missing and match interdental brushes to your real gaps. Generic advice does not change habits.
8
Review and re-chart at six to eight weeks
We measure again and hold it against your baseline. Sites that responded move to maintenance. The ones that did not, we dig into those, and the plan changes.
9
Maintenance and reminders
A recall interval built around your risk, yearly re-charting, and a nudge from reception when you are due. This stage is what decides whether the treatment holds.
What treatment achieves
What you get out of treating it
Here is what you gain once the infection is under control and a maintenance interval is set.
You keep teeth you would otherwise lose
Periodontitis is one of the biggest reasons adults lose teeth in Australia. Stopping it is the most direct way to dodge extractions.
Bleeding stops
For most gingivitis patients, that is inside a month once treatment and home care are sorted.
Bad breath improves
Clearing out the bacteria hiding in periodontal pockets goes straight at one of the most common causes.
Eating and brushing stop being unpleasant
Treat the inflamed tissue and exposed roots and the sensitivity fades.
It costs you far less over a lifetime
Treating gingivitis costs a sliver of what you would pay managing advanced periodontitis, pulling teeth and replacing them. It is the clearest case in dentistry of acting early to save money, and that matters most if you are paying out of pocket.
Your options stay open
Dentures, bridges and implants all need enough gum and bone to work. Every year gum disease drags on untreated, your future choices shrink.
A firmer, more even gumline
That is a result of health, not a cosmetic procedure.
Less chronic inflammation
A health goal worth having on its own, and we talk about it honestly in the general health section below.
You will know where you stand
Pocket depths, stage and recall interval, written down. Way easier to act on than a nagging worry.
Why inner-Newcastle patients choose us 
Dr Monika Shah, Principal Dentist Leads periodontal care across our three Newcastle clinics. AHPRA registration DEN0001406036.
Why inner-Newcastle patients choose MS Dental Mayfield
Treating gum disease in Mayfield means picking a clinic you will still be walking into in five years, because periodontal disease is managed, not cured. Here is what you get at 181 Maitland Rd.
0+ Google reviews
Mayfield clinic
Mayfield clinic
Dr Monika Shah, Principal Dentist Leads periodontal care across our three Newcastle clinics. AHPRA registration DEN0001406036. Family-owned, not a corporate chainMS Dental is an independent family practice with three Newcastle clinics, owned and run by the dentists who actually work in them. What your dentist suggests comes from your mouth, nothing else.
317+ Google reviewsFrom patients across Mayfield and the inner-Newcastle suburbs.
Measured, documented periodontal careWe chart pocket depths at the first visit and again at review, so any change shows up as actual numbers rather than something we just chat about.
Written estimates with item numbers, before treatmentWe are honest about cost, break it into stages when that fits, and will not spring it on you later.
Real options if money is tightCDBS bulk billing for eligible kids, interest-free payment plans if you qualify, concession programs, and treatment stretched out over time. There is a whole section on this below.
All health funds welcomeWith preferred provider status for HCF, Westfund and CBHS, plus same-day claiming on site where your fund lets us. See preferred providers.
AHPRA-registered dentistsAll signed up with the Dental Board of Australia, led by Principal Dentist Dr Monika Shah.
Your records travel between our clinicsShift somewhere else across Newcastle and your periodontal chart history follows you to Cardiff or Fletcher. No starting over.
No judgement about how long it has beenPlenty of our new patients have not sat in a dental chair in years. That is a normal place to begin, not a confession.
Easy to reach without a carWe are on Maitland Rd, on major bus routes, and a quick hop from Islington, Tighes Hill, Waratah and Carrington.
Open Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:30 PMNeed a Saturday? Our Cardiff clinic opens every Saturday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM and can do the same treatment.
Our approach
How we approach gum disease differently
01
We treat it as a long-term condition, not a single appointment
Every plan has a review point and a set maintenance interval. A clean is one appointment. Gum disease is a susceptibility that sticks around.
02
We measure, record and compare
Baseline charting, then re-charting at review. If a site has not budged, the numbers say so and the plan changes instead of just repeating.
03
We talk about cost before treatment, not after
Written estimates with item numbers, staged where staging helps. If you cannot afford a plan, we would sooner hear it while we are planning and sequence things differently than watch you drop out halfway through.
04
We treat causes, not only gums
Smoking, blood glucose control, dry mouth from medication, grinding and crowded teeth all shape how things pan out. We tackle what is actually driving your inflammation, and send you back to your GP when the medical side needs a look.
05
We coach on your mouth, not from a leaflet
Interdental brushes sized to your gaps, shown to you on the exact spots you keep missing.
06
We sequence honestly
Gum stability comes first, before any cosmetic or restorative work. And if someone has pitched you veneers or implants while your gums are inflamed, ask them why.
07
We say when a specialist or another clinic is the better option
Surgical cases go to a periodontist. If a treatment is only offered at our Cardiff or Fletcher clinic, we will tell you rather than trying to work around it.
08
We do not promise outcomes
Results shift with genetics, general health, smoking and home care. What we will promise is accurate diagnosis, thorough treatment, plain explanation and honest review.
Cost, without private cover
What if you do not have private health insurance?
Roughly half of Australian adults have no dental cover, and cost is the number one reason people put off dealing with their gums. But delay is exactly what turns a fixable problem into a permanent one. Cost should not be why gum disease in Mayfield sits untreated, so here is exactly how we handle it instead of staying quiet about it.
- Get the assessment even if you cannot afford treatment yet
An examination and periodontal chart tell you what you are up against and how urgent it is. Knowing you have got 4 mm pockets rather than 8 mm changes how much time you have got. And you are never on the hook to go ahead.
- Written estimates with item numbers
You get these before treatment kicks off, so you can compare, plan, or check what a fund would cover if you sign up for one down the track.
- Staged treatment
Periodontal treatment just naturally spreads across a handful of appointments. That means you can stretch it over months instead of paying the lot at once, and we can tackle the dodgiest sites first.
- Interest-free payment plans
Denticare, Afterpay and National Dental Plan are on offer, subject to eligibility and provider approval.
View payment plans - Children aged 2 to 17
They may be bulk billed for eligible basic services under the Child Dental Benefit Schedule. Worth a check even if you are sure you do not qualify.
Child dental — bulk billed - Concession programs
Just ask reception what fits your situation.
Discounts and concessions - NSW public dental services
If you hold a Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card, you might qualify for public dental care through the Hunter New England Local Health District. Waiting times apply, and they swing a lot. We will tell you if that is the smarter route for your situation instead of pretending it is not there.
- The cheapest option is the clean you have now
A maintained six-monthly clean costs a sliver of treating the periodontitis that shows up without one. If your budget only stretches to one thing, make it prevention.
How we handle it
Cost is discussed before treatment, not after
If you cannot afford a plan, we would sooner hear it while we are planning and sequence things differently than watch you drop out halfway through.
Related: Payment options · Preferred providers
A written estimate with item numbers, every time.
Urgent sites prioritised where the whole plan has to wait.
No obligation to proceed after your assessment.
An honest answer if the public system is the better route.
Young adults & students
Gum disease in your twenties and thirties
Most people figure gum disease is an older person's problem. But gingivitis is actually really common in young adults, and a handful develop aggressive periodontitis in their twenties and thirties. That kind races along far faster than the usual form.
01
No pain means no prompt
Without a routine check-up, there is nothing nudging you in for a visit.
02
The gap after leaving home
Plenty of people stop coming in once family visits are not booked for them anymore. And then a decade just slips by.
03
Vaping
It is more and more common in this age group and a real danger for gum health, not some harmless swap.
04
Orthodontic history
Braces and retainers make little spots where plaque piles up, and gum trouble often crops up a few years after treatment ends rather than during it.
05
Wisdom teeth
Partially erupted wisdom teeth trap plaque and can spark localised gum infection. See wisdom tooth extractions.
06
Pregnancy
Hormonal shifts make gums touchier about plaque that is already there. Professional cleaning during pregnancy is safe, and we recommend it.
Why it is worth acting now rather than later
Bone you lose in your thirties is bone you will not have in your sixties. Almost all gum disease at this age is still at the reversible stage, and a single clean plus fixing your technique often clears it up completely. This is the cheapest, easiest dentistry you will ever have — and the window does not stay open forever. If you are a student or new to the area, bring whatever dental history you have got and we will go from there.
Returning patients
If it has been years since your last visit
A big chunk of our new patients have not seen a dentist in five, ten or twenty years. Usually it is cost, a bad experience, or just life getting in the way. Bleeding gums are one of the most common things that finally drags people back through the door. Here is what to expect, honestly.
No lecture
We will not lecture you
How long it has been is information we need, not something to beat yourself up over. Honestly, it does not surprise us.
Visit one
Mostly looking and measuring
Examination, periodontal chart, X-rays where needed. No major treatment happens on day one unless you are in pain and want it sorted.
The full picture
You get the full picture and the full cost
Written, staged and sorted by priority, so you know what is urgent and what can wait.
Your pace
You decide the pace
Some patients want the lot done in a month. Others chip away at a plan over two years. Both are fine, and the second beats not starting at all by a mile.
Shorter visits
We can break the visit up
One long appointment feels like too much? We will do the assessment and stop there.
Perspective
It is rarely as bad as people dread
Long gaps usually mean more tartar and more inflammation, and both of those things answer well to treatment. The part that is truly irreversible is bone loss, and the only way to know how much you have lost is to measure it.
If dental anxiety is what kept you away, just say so when you book
Our whole approach is built around this: we walk you through each step before it happens, you set the pace, and we stop the second you ask.
Gum health & general health
How gum disease connects to the rest of your health
Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory condition. Twenty years of research keep turning up ties between it and type 2 diabetes, heart disease, bad pregnancy outcomes and rheumatoid arthritis. The diabetes link is the strongest, and it runs both directions — high blood glucose makes gum disease worse, and live gum inflammation makes glycaemic control harder.
Tell us if you are pregnant, managing a chronic condition, going through cancer treatment, taking a bisphosphonate or anticoagulant, or gearing up for surgery like a joint replacement or cardiac procedure. Every one of those shifts how and when we treat, and some mean we will need to talk to your treating doctor first.
Let us be precise about what that means
Association is not causation, and for most of these conditions the evidence does not prove that treating gum disease heads off the systemic disease. Here is what it does back up: cutting the chronic inflammation in your mouth is a smart health goal, anyone managing diabetes gains from watching their gums closely, and your dentist and your GP are staring at the same patient.
Meet the team
Who will be treating you
Our Mayfield clinic is staffed by clinicians from right across MS Dental, all registered with the Dental Board of Australia (AHPRA). Want to know who you will be seeing before you show up? Just ask reception when you book and they will tell you.
Principal Dentist Leads the clinical team · Cardiff, Fletcher & Mayfield
Dr Monika Shah
Principal Dentist & Founder — Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS)
Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS), 2006. She has worked in Australia since 2007, after finishing her Australian Dental Council examinations. Dr Shah runs all three MS Dental clinics and oversees complex periodontal and restorative planning across Cardiff, Fletcher and Mayfield.
She set the practice's approach to periodontal care: measure it, explain it, treat it thoroughly, review it.
BDS, 2006 ADC examinations, 2007 AHPRA DEN0001406036 Leads 3 Newcastle clinics
Read Dr Shah's full profile 
Dentist · All locations
Dr Nikhil Kapoor
Bachelor of Dental Surgery · James Cook University, 2019
Bachelor of Dental Surgery, James Cook University, 2019, with clinical placements across Darwin, Mackay, Cairns and Townsville. He joined MS Dental in 2020. Dr Kapoor works across all three clinics, and he is known for spelling out findings clearly and for his patience with nervous patients.
BDS, JCU (2019) AHPRA DEN0002459331
Read profile 
Oral Health Therapist · All locations
Natasha
Bachelor of Oral Health Therapy · University of Sydney, 2021
Bachelor of Oral Health Therapy, University of Sydney, 2021, with plenty of public dental service experience under her belt. She looks after patients at Cardiff, Fletcher and Mayfield, and handles much of our preventive and periodontal maintenance work: professional cleaning, periodontal charting, and the home care coaching that in the end decides whether gum treatment sticks.
BOHTh, Uni of Sydney (2021) AHPRA registered
Read profile Our support team
Our reception team and dental nurses handle bookings, health fund claiming, payment plan applications, recall reminders and your comfort during treatment. In periodontal care, recall reminders pull more weight than almost anything else on this page. Meet the staff →
Fees & health funds
What it costs at our Mayfield clinic
Periodontal treatment is quoted after assessment, because the number of visits depends on what we measure. Everything below is confirmed in writing, with item numbers, before treatment begins.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| New Patient Examination | $295, including comprehensive examination, professional clean, fluoride treatment and two X-rays |
| Periodontal assessment and charting | Included within your comprehensive examination |
| Root surface debridement (deep clean) | Quoted per quadrant or per visit after assessment, in writing with item numbers |
| Maintenance visits | Quoted at your review, based on your recall interval |
| Health funds | Preferred provider for HCF, Westfund and CBHS. All private health funds welcome. Your rebate depends on your level of cover and remaining annual limits |
| No private cover | Written estimates, staged treatment and interest-free payment plans available. See the dedicated section above |
| Children aged 2 to 17 | May be bulk billed for eligible basic services under the Child Dental Benefit Schedule (CDBS)* |
| Concessions | Ask reception which discount and concession programs apply to you |
| Payment plans | Denticare, Afterpay and National Dental Plan, subject to eligibility and provider approval |
*Services Australia decides eligibility and benefit amounts, and those can shift. We check that you are eligible before treatment.
Practical tip: sequence treatment across two benefit years
Periodontal treatment stretches across several appointments, so it can often be split across two health fund benefit years to knock down what you pay yourself. Raise it with reception when you get your estimate — not once treatment has already kicked off.
Payment options Preferred providers Payment plans Discounts and concessions
Aftercare
After treatment, and then permanently
The first few days after a deep clean
What is normal, and what is not.
Tenderness and cold sensitivity are normal. They usually calm down within three to five days.
Stick to softer foods and steer clear of very hot, very cold or heavily spiced food while the area is sore.
Hold off until the anaesthetic wears off completely before you eat, so you do not bite your lip or cheek.
Keep brushing the treated area gently. It heals faster when it is clean.
Call us if pain, swelling or bleeding is getting worse instead of calming down.
The habits that decide the result
The routine and intervals that hold the result.
Brush twice a day for two minutes with a soft brush angled into the gumline.
Clean between every tooth every day. Use interdental brushes sized to your gaps where they fit, and floss where they do not.
Show up to your maintenance visits at the interval we set, usually three to four months after periodontitis.
If you smoke or vape, cutting back or quitting will move your outlook more than any product you can buy. Just ask us and we will point you to support.
Handle diabetes and other chronic conditions with your GP, and keep us in the loop.
Tell us about any new medications, especially anything that dries out your mouth.
Flag new bleeding, swelling or looseness when it happens, not at your next scheduled visit.
Areas we serve
Gum disease treatment in Mayfield and inner Newcastle
MS Dental Mayfield at 181 Maitland Rd looks after patients from across Mayfield and the surrounding inner-Newcastle suburbs.
MayfieldMayfield EastMayfield WestWaratah GeorgetownTighes HillIslingtonWarabrook SandgateCallaghanCarringtonWickham
Closer to one of our other clinics, or after a Saturday spot? The same gum disease treatment is on offer at our sister practices, and your periodontal records travel with you between our clinics.
MS Dental Mayfield
Address181 Maitland Rd, Mayfield NSW 2304
Phone(02) 4023 3885
HoursMon–Fri 9:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Saturday closed
Saturday closed
Getting hereOn major Maitland Rd bus routes
FAQ
Gum disease: common questions
Yes, and it is the most common way gum disease shows its face. Painless bleeding is the early stage, which also happens to be the stage most likely to clear up completely with treatment. Wait for pain and you are waiting until bone loss has already happened.
Gingivitis can be wiped out entirely. Periodontitis can be stopped and held steady but not reversed, because lost bone will not grow back on its own. Long-term stability is the realistic goal, and most patients who keep turning up for their maintenance visits get there.
Often, yes, especially once the treatment gets split into stages. First you will get a written estimate with item numbers on it, interest-free payment plans are around depending on whether you qualify, and eligible kids can be bulk billed under the CDBS. Just ask reception before you settle on anything.
It is really common, and no, it is no trouble for us. Long gaps usually mean more tartar and deeper pockets, not a hopeless situation. That first visit is mostly checking and measuring, so you will find out exactly where you stand.
Our Mayfield clinic runs Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM. On Saturday, our Cardiff clinic at 20 Newcastle St opens every Saturday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, and it does the same gum disease treatment.
Yes. Gingivitis crops up a lot in young adults, and a small number get a faster-moving form of periodontitis in their twenties and thirties. At this age it is nearly always still reversible, which makes it the cheapest and easiest moment to fix.
Right now the evidence says vaping is a risk factor for gum disease, not a harmless trade for smoking. If you vape, tell us. Like smoking, it can cut down gum bleeding and so hide the main warning sign.
Periodontal bacteria refill cleaned pockets in roughly twelve weeks. If you have had periodontitis, a six-month gap gives the damage time to creep back between visits. That shorter gap is what keeps steady gums steady.
A professional clean needs no anaesthetic for most people. Deep cleaning below the gumline happens under local anaesthetic, so the area goes numb. You can ask for a break whenever you want, and we will walk you through each step before it happens.
Not necessarily. Most patients who start treatment and stick with maintenance keep their teeth. Risk hangs mainly on how much bone has already gone, which is why an early measured assessment gives a far more useful answer than some vague prognosis.
Receded tissue will not grow back by itself. Treatment aims to stop further recession, tame sensitivity and guard exposed roots from decay. Surgical grafting is an option for certain cases, and that would mean a referral to a periodontist.
The bacteria can move between people through saliva, from shared cutlery or kissing. That transfer alone does not cause disease, since susceptibility and hygiene decide it, but getting partners and family checked is smart.
Yes, and gum inflammation often flares in pregnancy thanks to hormonal change. Professional cleaning is safe and worth doing. Tell us you are pregnant and how far along, so we can sort out timing, positioning and imaging properly.
We take all private health funds and we are a preferred provider for HCF, Westfund and CBHS, with same-day claiming on site where your fund allows. Your rebate hangs on your level of cover and how much of your annual limit is left.
Gingivitis affects the gum tissue only and is usually reversible. Periodontitis has progressed to destroy the bone supporting the teeth, which is not reversible but can be stopped and held stable. Pocket measurements and X-rays are what distinguish the two.
Call (02) 4023 3885 or book online for our Mayfield clinic. Mention bleeding gums, swelling or a loose tooth when you book, so reception can carve out enough time for a full periodontal assessment instead of a standard check-up.
Book an assessment
Book a gum health assessment in Mayfield
Bleeding gums are easy to shrug off and simple to treat, and the gap between those two facts is where most tooth loss actually happens. You do not need a referral to get checked for gum disease in Mayfield, you do not need private health cover, and you do not need to explain how long it has been.
If you have spotted bleeding, swelling, recession, bad breath or a tooth that feels off, book an assessment. Fill in the form and our reception team will come back to you — tell us what you have noticed and we will allocate enough chair time for full periodontal charting at your first visit. You will walk out with your pocket depths measured, your stage spelled out and a written plan with costs.
Answered during clinic hoursMonday to Friday 9:00 AM – 5:30 PM. The Mayfield clinic is closed on Saturdays.
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Not for urgent problemsPus, facial swelling or a tooth that has turned painful and loose should not wait for an email reply. Please telephone us.
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