What is Periodontal Disease?

The word “periodontal” literally means around the tooth. Periodontal diseases are chronic bacterial gum infections that destroy the attachment fibers and supporting bone that hold your teeth in your mouth. The main cause of these diseases is bacterial plaque, a sticky, colorless film that constantly forms on your teeth, as well as your body’s response to this plaque. Daily home oral care, including proper brushing and flossing, is a must to prevent plaque buildup.

If plaque is not removed, it can turn into a hard substance called calculus (tartar) that is so hard it can only be removed during a professional cleaning. If calculus develops below the gums on the tooth root, it makes plaque removal difficult, leaving you at increased risk for periodontal diseases.

In the mildest form of the disease called “gingivitis”, the gums redden, swell, and bleed easily. There is usually little or no discomfort. Gingivitis is often caused by inadequate oral hygiene, and is usually reversible with periodontal treatment and good oral home care.

The production of toxins (or poisons) by the bacteria found in plaque irritate the gums, contributing to infection. These toxins can be described as a “trigger” in a process that initiates an inflammatory process that ultimately destroys the supporting tissues around the teeth, including the bone. Some patients have an overreaction to the bacteria and their body’s immune response, causing further damage. Bacteria and your immune response to the bacteria can cause the gums to separate from the teeth, forming pockets that fill with even more plaque and more infection. As the disease progresses, these pockets deepen, more gum tissue and bone are destroyed, and the teeth eventually become loose. If periodontal diseases are not treated, the teeth may need to be removed and often the destruction has progressed to a point that makes replacement of these teeth difficult. In addition, developing research links periodontal diseases to general health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, respiratory disease, and preterm and low birth weight babies.