| What is periodontal disease? Yuma |
What is periodontal disease?
Periodontal disease is a condition which attacks and damages the gum, bone and around the teeth. It is a serious infection which left untreated can lead to loss of teeth and other health issues. The word periodontal means “around the teeth.” Periodontal disease occurs when extreme bacterial infection causes the gums and bone supporting the teeth to deteriorate.
The mildest form of periodontal disease is known as gingivitis. This condition causes the gums to become swollen, red and bleed easily. This stage is generally characterized by very little or no discomfort and the most common causes for gingivitis is bad oral hygiene. Adequate oral care can prevent gingivitis and with professional treatment the condition can be reversed.
If left untreated, gingivitis can turn into periodontitis, which starts when the bacteria in the plaque on your teeth leads to the gums becoming inflamed. With time the infection affects the bone and tissue supporting the teeth, causing the gums to separate from the teeth to form spaces, which increases the spread of the infection and progress of the disease. Very often, though this process is extremely destructive, the symptoms are very mild. Yet if untreated over time, the teeth become loose and damaged and may have to be removed.
There are several types of periodontitis. Detailed below are the most common;
Aggressive periodontitis – this condition occurs in those who are otherwise healthy, clinically. General features are quick destruction of the bone and loss of attachment and familial aggregation.
Chronic periodontitis – the most common and frequently occurring form of periodontitis which is more prevalent in adults but is also possible to develop at any age.
Periodontitis as a result of a systematic disease – very often manifests at an early age associated to conditions such as heart disease, respiratory diseases and diabetes.
Necrotizing periodontal disease – this form of the condition is most commonly seen in individuals with systematic diseases such as HIV, malnutrition and immunosuppressant.
Periodontitis is a condition which affects the gums and the bone supporting the teeth and around ten percent of the population is susceptible to the disease.
|
|
|
