Stages of Periodontal Disease
No one gets advanced periodontal disease instantenously. Gum disease (periodontitis) is a gradual process with increasing amounts of damage occuring over a long period of time. Gum disease can be generalised into five phases:
1. Gingivitis
This is swelling of the gum line as a result of poor hygiene, although not truly gum disease it is thought to be the precursor or the condition that comes before gum disease. Your gums will also bleed easily on contact with tooth brushes or hard foods. A thorough clean and good oral hygiene quickly resolves this condition.
2. Early Periodontitis
The first phase of periodontitis involves the detachment of the gums from the surface of the tooth. At first this is only slight, with loss of about 2-5mm of attachment. A small pocket between the gums and the tooth surface forms and this allows more food to get trapped and stuck at the gum line. The inflammatory process is mild and there may be bleeding on brushing.
3. Periodontitis
If nothing is done, the pocket depends and the ligament supporting the tooth (the periodontal ligament, PDL) becomes involved. The inflammatory process destroys the PDL's attachment to the tooth and the pocket deepens. As food accumulates, bacterial action binds calcium to plague forming calculus or tartar, this hard and rough substance binds to the tooth surface making the surface rougher and causing more plague to form! You may suffer some gum recession here - that is the gums seem to shrink down (or up) the tooth surface.
4. Late Periodontitis
Following on from the loss of the PDL, the support alveolar bone starts to degenerate as chronic inflammation persists. It is here that gum recession becomes obvious and the root of the tooth is visible. If bone loss is extensive, your teeth may start to become loose and this may affect eating and chewing. You may also get bad breath due to the food stuck beneath the gum line, within the pockets.
5. Advanced Periodontitis
If allowed to progressed unchecked, late periodontitis leads to tooth loss and periodontal or gum abscesses. At this stage treatment may be difficult and expensive!
You should consult your dentist AT STAGE ONE! To prevent loss of supporting tissue.
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