What is periodontal disease? What is gingivitis?
Periodontal disease can be thought of as gum and bone disease around teeth. It is loss of bone and gum attachment around the teeth. Generally this bone and attachment loss is irreversible. Gingivitis is only gum disease around teeth with no attachment loss and no bone loss. Gingivitis is reversible if properly treated. Both periodontal disease and gingivitis are caused by bacterial plaque under the gums. Many factors contribute to the bone and attachment loss seen in periodontal disease even though these factors are not the primary cause of this disease. There is a space around each tooth, between the gums and the tooth root. The top of the space is the top of the gums and the bottom of the space is the attachment of the gums to the tooth root, which is on average at least 2 millimeters above the bone level in that area. This space is often called a “pocket” in dental terms. Basic gum treatment involves removal of dental calculus and plaque from the pockets or spaces around teeth. The
