Types of Gum Disease
The word periodontal actually comes from the Greek derivation with “peri” meaning around and “odont” meaning tooth. Thus, the combination of the two roots means around the tooth. Therefore, the two anatomic parts around the tooth are the gums or gingiva and the bone. Typically, as periodontal disease is present most people are unaware of it going on. It is a silent type of infection; however, it can have dire consequences. This is initiated by the presence of bacteria. As the bacteria gets mineralized it becomes hardened and affixed to the calculus or tartar. As a response the gums many times will become inflamed, reddened, or swollen with or without bleeding. If the bacteria, tartar, or calculus persist the jawbone will react by dissolving away in order to keep a safe distance from the advancing bacterial infection. If enough bone deteriorates the tooth will begin to get loose or could even fall out in its entirety. Again, typically this is not painful and often times caught too late. Simply bacteria get around the tooth and cause the healthy gum to unzip along the tooth root. We call this the formation of a pocket. As the pocket deepens patients can’t be effective in removing the bacteria residing in the pocket. As a result, the pocket deepens and bone loss will occur as a result of the infection.
The extent of the infection and the resulting bone loss is how our Aurora and Littleton gum disease experts classify the different types of periodontal disease — also referred to as gingivitis, periodontitis, and gum disease.
Gingivitis
Chronic Periodontitis
Aggressive Periodontitis
Periodontal Disease and Systemic Disease
If you have any question or concerns about the different types of periodontal disease and treatments, please ask your dentist.
Useful Links
- Periodontal Disease and Diabetes
- Periodontal Disease, Heart Disease and Stroke
- Signs & Symptoms of Periodontal Disease
- Periodontal Disease and Osteoporosis
- Periodontal Disease and Pregnancy
- Periodontal Disease and Respiratory Disease
- Diagnosis
- Treatment
- Maintenance
- Mouth – Body Connection
- Causes of Periodontal Disease
- Types of Periodontal Disease
Learn More About the Types of Gum Disease in Aurora or Littleton
If you have any questions or concerns about the different types of periodontal disease and their severity, please request an appointment with one of our periodontists. Our team includes Drs. Heller, Beckman, Thousand and Versman.
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