The two main stages of gum disease are gingivitis and periodontitis. Each stage is characterized by the amount of inflammation and bone loss. Gingivitis develops before periodontitis but not all gingivitis progresses to periodontitis.
At the start of gingivitis, the gums become red, swollen and easily bleed. This occurs especially during toothbrushing and flossing. Bleeding is a sign that your mouth is unhealthy and needs better oral hygiene. The gums may be inflamed, but the teeth are still firm in the bone. No bone loss or other tissue damage has occurred at this stage. Dental disease remains a serious public health concern but recent research indicates that the situation is not hopeless.
It is noteworthy that people seem to be paying more attention to oral hygiene as part of personal grooming. They want their teeth to look clean and their breath fresh. It is embarrassing to have bad breath. The result of this extra attention is a decrease in gingivitis over recent years. Gingivitis can be reversed in most cases when proper oral hygiene, daily brushing and flossing, is practiced.
If left untreated, gingivitis can advance to periodontitis. At this stage, the inside layer of the gum and bone pull away from the teeth and form gum pockets. These small pockets between the teeth and gums collect food and germs and can become infected. The body's immune system is initiated to fight the bacteria as the plaque spreads below the gum-line. Bacterial toxins and the body's inflammation fight the infection. This process actually starts to break down the bone and gum tissue that hold teeth in place. As the gum disease progresses, the pockets become deeper and more gum tissue and bone are destroyed. Finally enough bone is lost and the teeth become progressively loose. Eventually the teeth are lost.
Signs and Symptoms
Periodontal disease progresses painlessly, producing few subjective signs, even in the later stages of bone loss. Then on a day you are having your teeth cleaned, the dentist might say you have chronic gum disease and that you may be at increased risk of losing your teeth.
Although the symptoms of gum disease often are silent, the condition is not entirely without warning signs. Some symptoms may point to some stage of the disease. They include:
Gums that bleed with toothbrushing
Gums that bleed during flossing
Red, puffy or tender gums
Constant bad breath or bad taste in the mouth
Receding gums around teeth
Formation of deep pockets between teeth and gums
Loose or shifting teeth
Changes in the way teeth fit together on biting, or in the fit of partial dentures
source: Crest Pro Health http://www.crestprohealth.com
