Also called Gum Disease — refers to inflammation and infection of the tissues that support your teeth. Poor oral hygiene can result in gum disease. But some people are more prone to this condition than others are, even with proper brushing and flossing.

What are the symptoms of periodontal disease? Periodontal disease symptoms may include:

Reddish or purplish gums.
Bleeding.
Soreness.
Bad breath (halitosis).
Unpleasant taste.
Pain when chewing
Gum recession (gums that pull away from your teeth).
Loose teeth.
A change in the way your teeth fit together.

Left untreated, gum disease can cause destruction of your underlying jawbone, leading to possible tooth loss.
The breakdown of tissues around your teeth happens gradually. In fact, most people don’t experience pain with gum disease — especially during the early stages. So, it’s important to know the warning signs.

Stages of Gum Disease:



Gingivitis. This is the earliest stage of gum disease. It starts with red, puffy gums that may bleed when you brush or floss. At this stage, there’s no bone loss. As a result, gingivitis is totally reversible with proper treatment.

Mild periodontitis. The bacteria have seeped beneath your gums, affecting the supporting bone. Your gums may pull away from your teeth, creating pockets around them. Plaque and bacteria like to hide in these pockets, where your toothbrush and floss can’t reach.

Moderate periodontitis. Left untreated, bacteria begin to erode the ligaments, soft tissues and bone that hold your teeth in place. You may notice bad breath and pus (infection) around your gum line. Some people develop pain at this stage.

Advanced periodontitis. As periodontal disease worsens, bone loss continues. This can cause your teeth to become loose and eventually fall out.
When treated early enough, gum disease is reversible. But if you’ve already lost bone around your teeth due to infection, the disease is too advanced to reverse. However, you can manage it with proper treatment and consistent, diligent oral hygiene.

What causes Periodontal Disease?

Buildup of dental plaque is the No. 1 cause of periodontal disease. Plaque contains many different kinds of bacteria that can potentially infect your gums. That’s why you’re more likely to get gum disease if you have poor oral hygiene.
In some people, genes play a role in gum disease by changing the way their immune system responds to bacteria.

Gum Disease Risk Factors
A risk factor is something that increases your chance of getting a disease or condition. Possible periodontal disease risk factors include:

Smoking or other tobacco use.
Poor oral hygiene.
Diabetes.
Autoimmune diseases, including lupus, scleroderma and Crohn’s disease.
Hormonal changes, particularly during puberty, pregnancy and menopause.
Stress.
Genetics (you’re more likely to get gum disease if your parents, grandparents or siblings have it).
Heart disease.

Is Periodontal Disease Contagious?

The bacteria that cause gum disease can pass from person to person. While you can’t catch gum disease through brief casual contact, repeated and long-term contact through saliva (such as kissing) may increase your risk for periodontal disease.

Complications of Periodontal Disease?

Unless you get treatment, gum disease continues to worsen, wreaking havoc on your oral health. It leads to a vicious cycle of infection that can end in tooth loss.
Research has also proven that gum disease has a direct impact on your overall health and well-being. There’s a link between gum disease and other health issues like heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

Diagnose Periodontal Disease?

A dentist can tell you if you have gum disease during a routine examination. They’ll look for plaque buildup on your teeth and ask you about your symptoms.
They will measure the pockets around your teeth using an instrument called a periodontal probe. This tells them how much bone you’ve lost around your teeth. The deeper the pockets, the more severe the gum disease .
Additionally, they’ll take dental X-rays. These images show the areas of bone loss in detail. They can also look at older X-rays to see how your bone has changed over time.

Stages of Gum Disease:



Is Periodontal Disease Curable?
Gum disease isn’t curable, but it’s manageable with appropriate treatment. You can’t cure it because once you lose structural support around your teeth, you don’t usually get all of it back. However, periodontal treatment can reduce infection and rebuild your bone and tissue to some degree.
One stage of gum disease is totally reversible — gingivitis (very early periodontal disease). If you detect gingivitis early enough, you can reverse it with regular dental cleaning and diligent oral hygiene.

Treatment of Periodontal Disease?
There are several periodontal treatments available.

Scaling and Root planning
Scaling and root planing is similar to routine dental cleaning. But it cleans deeper beneath your gums, removing plaque and bacteria where your toothbrush and floss can’t reach.

Pocket Reduction Surgery
People with moderate to advanced gum disease may need pocket reduction surgery (also called Osseous Surgery). The goal is to remove plaque and tartar that are so deep under the gums that your hygienist can’t reach it. During this procedure, a periodontist makes an incision (cut) in your gums and creates