Gum Disease
Periodontal (gum) diseases, including gingivitis and periodontitis, are
serious infections that, left untreated, can lead to tooth loss. The word
"periodontal" literally means "around the tooth." Periodontal disease is a
chronic bacterial infection that affects the gums and bone supporting the
teeth..
Periodontal disease can affect one tooth or many teeth. It begins when the
bacteria in plaque (the sticky, colorless film that constantly forms on
your teeth) causes the gums to become inflamed.
In the mildest form of the disease, gingivitis, the gums redden, swell
and bleed easily. There is usually little or no discomfort. Gingivitis is
often caused by inadequate oral hygiene. Gingivitis is reversible with
professional treatment and good oral home care.
Untreated 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. The toxins stimulate a chronic inflammatory
response in which the gum tissue and bone that support the teeth are
destroyed. Gums separate from the teeth, forming pockets (spaces between
the teeth and gums) that become infected. As the disease progresses, the
pockets deepen and more gum tissue and bone are destroyed. Often, this
destructive process has little or no symptoms. Eventually, teeth can
become loose and may have to be removed.
Recently Belgian researchers reported that
people with severe gum disease may be prone to releasing bacterial
poisons known as endotoxins into their bloodstream, which may help explain
the link between gum infections and cardiovascular disease. You want to
treat periodontal disease to preserve your smile as well as to prevent the
potential harm that it (may) cause to the rest of your body.
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