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Gum disease may play a part in causing bad breath. However, we haven't looked at the research on whether treating gum disease helps improve people's breath. So we can't be sure it works. But gum disease can damage your teeth, so your dentist will probably recommend treatment anyway.

If you have gum disease, here are some of the things your dentist may do to treat it.¹

• Scaling. The dentist or hygienist scrapes off the plaque, tartar (hardened plaque) and other deposits that are causing the infection from your teeth. It takes 15 to 30 minutes.
• Scaling below the gum and root planing. These are more complicated treatments that involve removing deposits from the parts of your teeth that are covered by the gums. You'll have an injection of local anesthetic in your gum to numb the area. The treatment lasts about an hour.
• Flap surgery. You may need this if scaling, root planing and medication don't get rid of the infection. A periodontist (a dentist who specializes in gum disease) folds your gums back from your teeth, removes the deposits, then stitches the gums back in place. It's done under local anaesthetic. The stitches either dissolve on their own or have to be removed seven to 10 days later.

There are also other kinds of surgery that can be used for gum disease. These include:

• Replacing lost gum tissue or bone. This is called grafting
• Guided tissue regeneration. This is a treatment that stimulates the growth of new gum and bone
• Bone surgery to reshape the bone around the tooth. This makes it harder for bacteria to collect and grow there.

Some medications can be used to treat gum disease. They're normally used after scaling and root planing. You may have:

• A mouthwash containing a chemical called chlorhexidine. It helps to kill bacteria and reduce the build up of plaque
• A small piece of antiseptic placed in the pockets where your gums have pulled away from your teeth
• An antibiotic gel or tiny balls of an antibiotic placed in the pockets between your gums and your teeth
• A low dose of an antibiotic called doxycycline (brand names are Doryx, Doxy 100, Monodox, Vibramycin and Vibra-Tabs).

This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment. ©BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2008. All rights reserved.