Periodontal Disease: Serious but Highly Treatable in the Early Stages

Periodontal disease is a serious infection of the gums that if left untreated can lead to tooth loss. There are a variety of stages of this chronic bacterial infection that can affect from one tooth to many. The condition begins when bacteria-plagued plaque—the sticky, colorless film that regularly forms on teeth—isn’t removed via brushing and flossing.

Gingivitis is the mildest form of periodontal disease. It causes the gums to become red, swollen and bleed easily. Generally, there’s little or no discomfort at this stage. The good news is if caught early, gingivitis is easily reversible with vigilant home oral hygiene.

If untreated, however, gingivitis can advance to periodontitis. With time, plaque can spread and grow below the gum line. Toxins produced by the bacteria in plaque irritate the gums and stimulate a chronic inflammatory response in which the body, in essence, turns on itself, and the tissues and bone that support the teeth break down. Gums separate from the teeth and form pockets of infection. As the disease progresses, the pockets deepen and more gum tissue and bone are destroyed. Although this process has very mild symptoms, eventually, teeth can become loose and may have to be removed.

The stages of periodontitis include aggressive periodontitis, in which patients who are otherwise clinically healthy experience rapid gum detachment and bone destruction.

Chronic periodontitis is the next level and results in inflammation within the supporting tissues of the teeth, progressive gum detachment and bone loss. This is the stage when patients often begin to realize they have a critical problem and seek treatment.

Lastly, necrotizing periodontal disease is an infection characterized by necrosis of gingival tissues, the periodontal ligament and alveolar bone. These lesions are most commonly observed in individuals with systemic conditions such as HIV infection, malnutrition and other immunosuppressive diseases.

For information about periodontal disease, dentures, dental implants or any dentistry-related subjects, call The Ferber Dental Group at 561-471-8285 or visit http://www.ferberdental.com/.