Disease, Gum (Periodontal Disease)

Patient Version Dentist Version

Overview
Frequently Asked Questions
Additional Resources
Overview
Periodontal disease is an infection of the tissues that support your teeth. Your u! tissue is not
attached to the teeth as hih as it !ay see!. "here is a very shallow v#shaped crevice called a
sulcus $etween the tooth and u!s. Periodontal diseases attack %ust $elow the u! line in the
sulcus& where they cause the attach!ent of the tooth and its supportin tissues to $reak down. As
the tissues are da!aed& the sulcus develops into a pocket' enerally& the !ore severe the disease&
the reater the depth of the pocket.
Periodontal diseases are classified accordin to the severity of the disease. "he two !a%or staes are
inivitis and periodontitis. (inivitis is a !ilder and reversi$le for! of periodontal disease that
only affects the u!s. (inivitis !ay lead to !ore serious& destructive for!s of periodontal disease
called periodontitis.
It is possible to have periodontal disease and have no warning signs. "hat is one reason why
reular dental checkups and periodontal e)a!inations are very i!portant. "reat!ent !ethods
depend upon the type of disease and how far the condition has proressed. (ood oral hyiene at
ho!e is essential to help keep periodontal disease fro! $eco!in !ore serious or recurrin. You
dont have to lose teeth to periodontal disease. *rush& clean $etween your teeth& eat a $alanced
diet& and schedule reular dental visits for a lifeti!e of healthy s!iles.
Some a!tors in!rease the ris" o developing periodontal disease#
"o$acco s!okin or chewin
+yste!ic diseases such as dia$etes
+o!e types of !edication such as steroids& so!e types of anti#epilepsy drus& cancer
therapy drus& so!e calciu! channel $lockers and oral contraceptives
*rides that no loner fit properly
,rooked teeth
Fillins that have $eco!e defective
Prenancy or use of oral contraceptives
Several warning signs that !an signal a problem#
(u!s that $leed easily
Red& swollen& tender u!s
(u!s that have pulled away fro! the teeth
Persistent $ad $reath or $ad taste
Per!anent teeth that are loose or separatin
Any chane in the way your teeth fit toether when you $ite
Any chane in the fit of partial dentures
Return to "op
$re%uentl& 's"ed (uestions ($'()
-hat is periodontal .u!/ disease0
-hat are the sins of periodontal .u!/ disease0
1ow can 2 prevent periodontal .u!/ disease0
)hat Is periodontal (gum) disease*
Periodontal .u!/ disease is an infection of the tissues surroundin and supportin the teeth.
2t is a !a%or cause of tooth loss in adults. *ecause periodontal .u!/ disease is usually
painless& however& you !ay not know you have it.
Periodontal .u!/ disease is caused $y plaque& a sticky fil! of $acteria that constantly for!s
on the teeth. "hese $acteria create to)ins that can da!ae the u!s.
2n the early stae of periodontal .u!/ disease& called inivitis& the u!s can $eco!e red&
swollen and $leed easily. At this stae& the disease is still reversi$le and can usually $e
eli!inated $y daily $rushin and flossin.
2n the !ore advanced staes of periodontal .u!/ disease& called periodontitis& the u!s and
$one that support the teeth can $eco!e seriously da!aed. "he teeth can $eco!e loose& fall
out or have to $e re!oved $y a dentist.
Return to "op
)hat are the signs o periodontal (gum) disease*
2f you notice any of the followin sins of periodontal .u!/ disease& see your dentist i!!ediately'
u!s that $leed when you $rush your teeth
red& swollen or tender u!s
u!s that have pulled away fro! the teeth
$ad $reath that doesn3t o away
pus $etween your teeth and u!s
loose teeth
a chane in the way your teeth fit toether when you $ite
chane in the fit of partial dentures
4or!al& healthy u!s
1ealthy u!s and $one
anchor teeth fir!ly in place.
Periodontitis
5nre!oved& plaque hardens nto
calculus .tartar/. As plaque and
calculus continue to $uild up& the
u!s $ein to recede pull away/
fro! the teeth& and pockets for!
$etween the teeth and u!s
Advanced periodontitis
"he u!s recede farther&
destroyin !ore $one and the
periodontal lia!ent. "eeth 6
even healthy teeth 6 !ay
$eco!e loose and need to $e
e)tracted.

Return to "op
+ow !an I prevent periodontal (gum) disease*
"he ood news is that you can help prevent periodontal .u!/ disease $y takin ood care of your
teeth every day and havin reular dental checkups. 1ere3s how to keep your teeth and u!s
healthy'
Brush your teeth well twice a day.
"his re!oves the fil! of $acteria fro! the teeth. *e sure to use a soft#$ristled tooth$rush that is in
ood condition. "oothpastes and !outh rinses containin fluoride strenthen the teeth and help
prevent decay. ,hoose products that $ear the A!erican Dental Association +eal of Acceptance& your
assurance that they have !et the ADA3s standards for safety and effectiveness. "he ADA reviews all
advertisin clai!s for any product $earin the +eal. "he +eal on a product is an assurance for
consu!ers and dentists aainst !isleadin or untrue state!ents concernin a product3s safety and
effectiveness.
,lean $etween your teeth every day.
,leanin $etween your teeth with floss or interdental cleaners re!oves $acteria and food particles
fro! $etween the teeth& where a tooth$rush can3t reach. 7arly periodontal .u!/ disease can often
$e reversed $y daily $rushin and flossin. 2f you use interdental cleaners& ask your dentist how to
use the! properly& to avoid in%urin your u!s.
7at a $alanced diet.
,hoose a variety of foods fro! the $asic food roups& such as $reads& cereals and other rain
products8 fruits8 veeta$les8 !eat& poultry and fish8 and dairy products& such as !ilk& cheese and
yourt. 9i!it $etween#!eal snacks.
Visit your dentist reularly.
2t is i!portant to have reular dental checkups& and professional cleanin is essential to prevent
periodontal diseases.
,&pes o Periodontal Disease
(u!& or periodontal& disease is a !a%or infection of u! tissue that surrounds the
teeth which& if not treated early& can result in not only destroyed oral connective tissue& $ut also
$one structure destruction. 2ndeed& Dr. Dan Peterson esti!ates that three out of four adults older
than :; years have periodontal disease. Accordin to the <ayo ,linic& periodontal or u! disease is
serious $ecause it can affect overall health and is associated with !a%or chronic diseases that
include' cardiovascular disease& dia$etes& osteoporosis and A2D+.
Gingivitis
"he !ost co!!on type of periodontal or u! disease is inivitis& an infla!!ation of the inival
.u!/ tissue caused $y $acterial plaque .fil! that covers teeth/. (inivitis produces red& tender& and
swollen u!s that $leed with halitosis .$ad $reath/. <oreover& it3s $een esti!ated that over =>
percent of the adult population has derees of inivitis. (inivitis can proress to !a%or
periodontal disease resultin in tissue& teeth& and $one loss8 therefore& it is critical that inivitis $e
reconi?ed and treated so that further disease proression does not occur.
(inivitis usually results fro! poor dental hyiene such as poor $rushin and flossin ha$its& which
can easily $e corrected. "his disease can $e reversed with proper $rushin and flossin8 thus&
inivitis is a for! of u! disease where healthy teeth and u!s still are possi$le.
Avoid (u! +urery @it 4ew VitaPick kills deep u! disease $acteria. +ave your teeth Free 2nfo
www.al$rite.co!
+ponsored 9inks
'!ute -e!roti.ing /l!erative Gingivitis
Acute necroti?in ulcerative inivitis .A45(/& also known as Atrench !outhA and Vincent3s
sto!atitis& is an advanced type of inivitis with crater#like ulcers that can include painful profuse
$leedin& a rayish fil! coverin the u!s& and halitosis .$ad $reath/. "his u! disease ot its
na!e fro! -orld -ar 2 soldiers .in trenches/ who were not a$le to take care of their teeth properly.
Accordin to the <erck <edical 9i$rary& A45( usually occurs suddenly with the pri!ary
sy!pto! of intense pain. 2t is co!!on in s!okers and individuals youner than the ae of :;8
however& the frequency of this dianosis tends to $e rare. Proper dental treat!ent such as anti$iotics
is required8 also& de$ride!ent .surical re!oval of dead or conta!inated tissue/ !ay $e necessary.
'dvan!ed Periodontitis
Proressively chronic or advanced periodontitis is when $asic inivitis .not treated/ proresses to a
deep and destructive infection that destroys not only u! tissue $ut also erodes the supportin
structures .$one/ that anchor the teeth. "his results in deep pockets of infection and !a%or $one loss
which is not a$le to reenerate8 thus& teeth shift and $eco!e loose without $one anchorin. 2t is
prevalent in adults& $ut can occur at any ae. +urical intervention !ay $e needed to re!ove teeth.
Dental 2!plants Painless B ,ost#7ffective +olution "o <issin "eeth. ,all C:D; :EF;.
www.DrOliver.co!.s
,an You ,ure (inivitis0 You ,A4 Put an 7nd to (inivitis. -e Offer D +i!ple +teps to +uccess.
www.Ora<D.co!
Afforda$le Dental 2!plant 1ih quality # One %aw ;G>> 7uro +candinavian e)cellence # 2celand
www.nordics!ile.co!
Dental Occlusion 7asily 7valuate Dental Occlusion with "#+canH Occlusal Analysis
www."ekscan.co!IDental#Occlusion
+ponsored 9inks
0eeren!es
4ational 9i$rary of <edicine
<erck <edical 9i$rary
<ayo ,linic
Read
!ore'
http'IIwww.livestron.co!IarticleIEG;J:#types#periodontal#diseaseIKi)??EQpDqGQkp
'bout this 'uthor
A.<. "acon is an associate professor of health at "e)as "ech 5niversity. 1er research
interests include psychosocial factors in cancer& co!ple!entary therapies and stress
reduction in individuals with cancer. Dr. "acon runs !indfulness#$ased stress reduction
prora!s for wo!en with $reast cancer& which is $ased on various for!s of !indfulness
!editation