How does the infection get through the gum to the bone?
If there were no teeth coming out of the bone, there would be no way for the bacteria that cause infection to actually get to the bone. That is why people with dentures don’t get periodontal disease! Unfortunately around the neck of each tooth there is an area that is like a “gap” where bacteria can sneak in and attack the bone structure. That gap is what your dentist would refer to as a “pocket”. The depth of this pocket is what your dentist will measure with a special instrument called a “periodontal probe” (see illustration). The normal depth of this pocket is usually 2 to 3 mm. before getting to the bone. So when you hear your dentist say you have deep pockets, what he/she is saying is that you’ve lost some bone in these areas. This gap runs all around the neck of each and every tooth, so you can see that it takes a certain amount of effort to keep it clean and free from bacteria. When you tell your dentist that you can’t understand why you have gum disease because you brush three
