Gum Disease Treatment Cost in Singapore: A Clear Guide

Gum disease treatment in Singapore starts from $90 per quadrant at Caring Dental, with the final cost depending on how many quadrants of the mouth need deep cleaning. Caught early, gum disease is manageable and inexpensive to treat. Left alone, it is one of the main reasons adults lose teeth, so knowing the signs is worth more than any single figure.

Gum disease is far more common than most people realise. According to Singapore’s 2019 National Adult Oral Health Survey, 77.6% of adults aged 21 to 64 showed signs of periodontal (gum) disease, and 56.9% had moderate to severe periodontitis. This guide explains what gum treatment costs, what it involves, and how to tell whether you need it.

What Gum Disease Is

Gum disease starts when plaque and hardened tartar build up along and below the gumline, and the bacteria there irritate the gums. It progresses in stages.

• Gingivitis is the early, reversible stage. The gums are inflamed, red and bleed easily, but the bone holding the teeth is not yet affected. Treated at this point, gums can return to health.
• Periodontitis is the more advanced stage. The inflammation has spread deeper, pockets form between the gums and teeth, and the bone that supports the teeth begins to break down. This stage can be controlled but not fully reversed, because lost bone does not grow back.

The important message is that the earlier gum disease is caught, the simpler and cheaper it is to deal with.

The Warning Signs

Gum disease is often painless until it is advanced, which is why it is easy to ignore. Watch for:

• Gums that bleed when you brush or floss
• Red, swollen or tender gums
• Persistent bad breath or a bad taste that returns soon after brushing
• Gums that look like they are shrinking away from the teeth
• Teeth that feel loose or have shifted

Bleeding gums are the sign people most often dismiss. Healthy gums do not routinely bleed, so regular bleeding is worth having assessed rather than waiting for it to settle on its own.

Gum Treatment Cost at Caring Dental

Our fee for gum treatment starts from $90 per quadrant. The mouth is divided into four quadrants, and treatment is done one quadrant at a time, so the total cost depends on how much of the mouth is affected. Someone with early disease in one area will pay far less than someone who needs all four quadrants treated.

Your dentist assesses the extent during the consultation, usually with an examination and sometimes an X-ray to check the bone level, and gives you a clear quote before any treatment begins. There is no obligation to complete everything in one visit.

Two points worth knowing:

• Gum treatment is not the same as a routine clean. A standard scaling and polishing session cleans above and just below the gumline. Gum treatment, or root planing, goes deeper to clean the root surfaces inside the pockets, which is why it is quoted separately and usually done under local anaesthesia.
• Medisave does not cover gum treatment. Medisave is for surgical procedures such as wisdom tooth surgery. Routine cleaning is subsidised through CHAS and the Merdeka and Pioneer Generation schemes instead.

What Subsidies Apply

Routine scaling and polishing is subsidised for CHAS, Merdeka Generation and Pioneer Generation cardholders, and from 1 October 2025 CHAS Orange cardholders are covered for routine cleaning too. Our guides to scaling and polishing prices and CHAS dental subsidies set out exactly what each card pays.

Deeper gum treatment is a different procedure, and whether it attracts a subsidy depends on the specific treatment and your card type. The simplest approach is to bring your CHAS, Merdeka Generation or Pioneer Generation card and NRIC, and our front desk will check what applies to your case before you start.

What Gum Treatment Involves

Deep cleaning, or scaling and root planing, removes the plaque, tartar and bacteria from the root surfaces below the gumline so the gums can heal and reattach to the teeth. The area is numbed with local anaesthesia, so you should feel pressure rather than pain during the procedure.

Afterwards, the gums may be a little tender for a day or two, which settles with ordinary painkillers. Your dentist will usually want to review the gums after a few weeks to check how they are healing, and may recommend cleaning every three to four months for a while, rather than the usual six, until things stabilise.

Good home care does most of the ongoing work: brushing twice a day, cleaning between the teeth daily, and keeping up regular check-ups. Gum disease is manageable, but it tends to return without consistent care at home.

Why It Is Worth Treating Early

Gum disease is a leading cause of tooth loss in adults, and the reason is that it works quietly. By the time teeth feel loose, the supporting bone has often already been lost. Treating it at the bleeding-gums stage is straightforward and preserves the bone you still have.

There is a wider health angle too. Gum inflammation has been linked in research to conditions such as diabetes and heart disease, which is another reason not to leave persistent bleeding gums unchecked.

Booking a Gum Assessment

Gum treatment is available at all four Caring Dental clinics, in Punggol, Sengkang, Anchorvale and Woodlands, open seven days a week (closed on public holidays). If your gums have been bleeding or you have not had them checked in a while, book an appointment and bring your subsidy card so we can check what it covers.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does gum disease treatment cost in Singapore?

From $90 per quadrant at Caring Dental. The total depends on how many quadrants need treatment, which your dentist confirms at the consultation.

What are the early signs of gum disease?

Bleeding, red or puffy gums, persistent bad breath, receding gums and loose teeth. Early gum disease is reversible, so get checked when you first notice bleeding.

Is gum treatment the same as scaling and polishing?

No. Scaling and polishing is a routine, preventive clean. Gum treatment (root planing) is a deeper clean of the root surfaces, needed once pockets have formed.

Does CHAS cover gum treatment?

Routine cleaning is subsidised under CHAS and the Merdeka and Pioneer Generation schemes. Whether a deeper gum treatment is subsidised depends on the procedure and your card, so ask our front desk to check.

Is gum treatment painful?

The area is numbed first, so you should feel little discomfort. Mild tenderness for a day or two afterwards is normal.

Can gum disease be cured?

Early gum disease can be reversed. Advanced gum disease can be controlled and stabilised but not fully reversed, because lost bone does not regrow, which is why early treatment matters.