Periodontal Disease

What Is Periodontal Disease?
Periodontal disease is an infection of the tissues that support your teeth. These tissues include your gum, bone, and ligaments which attach your teeth to your jawbone.

Periodontal disease will destroy the gums and cause shifting of the teeth. Here is a typical example:

To learn about the treatment for gum disease, please see the gum treatment page.

What Causes Periodontal Disease?
The sticky film that forms on your teeth every few hours is called plaque, and is made mostly of bacteria. The bacteria in plaque produce byproducts (toxins) that can irritate, inflame, and damage the tissues that support your teeth. They do this by activating the immune system's inflammatory process.

Plaque that is not removed regularly can harden into a rough porous deposit called calculus, or tartar. This can happen in as little as a few hours. The calculus buildup then becomes a permanent source of bacteria, and can only be removed when your teeth are professionally cleaned in the dental office.

How Common Is Periodontal Disease?
Unlike most diseases that give us early warning signs, gum disease progresses silently and without pain. More than half of all people over 18 have at least the early stages of periodontal disease. Even more frightening is that after the age of 35, three out of four people are affected to some degree.

How Can Periodontal Disease Be Prevented?
Daily good oral hygiene can help reduce your risk of developing gum disease. Plaque forms quickly and needs to be removed immediately before it can cause damage. Remember that plaque is soft, but hardens within several hours. That's why it's necessary to floss and brush 3 times a day. Always floss first.

If you're not ready to floss 3 times a day, then remember that the most important time to floss is at night just before you go to sleep.

What Factors Increase the Risk of Periodontal Disease?
Smoking or chewing tobacco.
Systemic diseases such as diabetes.
Medications such as steroids, some types of anti-epilepsy drugs, cancer therapy drugs, some calcium channel blockers, oral contraceptives, and medications that reduce your salivary flow.
Poor-fitting crowns or bridges, improper fillings, crooked teeth, missing teeth.
Pregnancy can also affect the gums due to hormonal changes.

How Would I Know If I Have Periodontal Disease?
It is possible to have periodontal disease and have no warning signs. That is one reason why regular dental checkups and periodontal examinations are very important.

However, several warning signs can signal that you have a problem with periodontal disease. Be aware of these signs:

Gums that bleed when flossed or brushed.
Gums that bleed easily in general.
Red, swollen, or tender gums.
Gums that have pulled away from the teeth.
Gums that look loose or flabby.
Pus between the teeth when the gums are pressed.
Persistent bad breath or bad taste.
Permanent teeth that are loose, separating, or shifting.
Any change in the way your teeth fit together when you bite.
Any change in the fit of partial dentures.
Empty spaces between your teeth where gum tissue once was.