What is Gum Disease?
Periodontal diseases accompanied by inflammation are gingivitis, which affects a large part of the population, and periodontitis, which affects over 30% of people over the age of 35. Due to their wide distribution in the population and their seriousness from the perspective of both the dentist and the patient, it is important to know about gum disease, its prevalence, and causes.
Periodontitis is a general term for gum disease and constitutes a broad group of disorders of the tissues of the tooth's supporting apparatus. They can generally be divided into inflammatory and non-inflammatory.
Non-inflammatory gum disease
Non-inflammatory gum diseases include all periodontal changes not caused by plaque. That is, periodontal damage by chemical or mechanical means, periodontal hypertrophy caused by hormonal changes or medications, necrotic changes resulting from general diseases or medication use, and many others. The group of non-inflammatory periodontal diseases also includes so-called atrophic periodontal changes, otherwise known as exposed tooth necks.
Inflammatory gum disease
Inflammatory periodontal diseases include gingivitis, which affects more than 80% of the population, and periodontitis, which affects over 30% of people over 35 years of age. The treatment of these diseases is time-consuming and can be expensive, depending on the type of disease.
What causes gum disease?
Currently, a specific plaque theory is recognized, i.e., that certain types of microorganisms, so-called periodontal pathogens, are responsible for periodontal disease. Depending on which bacterial species and in what quantity they are present in the plaque and how the immune system reacts to this presence, the resulting destruction of the gum tissue occurs.
Recently, scientists have been inclined to the opinion that the development of gingivitis and periodontitis is also influenced by the immune system, in addition to plaque and other factors. Previously, it was assumed that only dental plaque was responsible for the development of periodontitis. The destruction of the periodontium - the supporting apparatus of the teeth - is now considered by some scientists to be an "exaggerated" reaction to the presence of bacteria. The immune system has developed certain tolerance mechanisms. Their task is not to attack and destroy bacteria that occur naturally in the oral cavity and are useful, and on the contrary, to eliminate those types of bacteria that are dangerous.
Is gum disease common?
Unfortunately, it must be stated that almost 100% of the adult population is affected in one form or another, or a combination of gum diseases. However, gum disease is relatively rare in children and adolescents. When it does occur, the most common cause is poor oral hygiene, but more severe forms of periodontitis in children and adolescents are likely to be due to systemic disease, immune disorders, and medication use.
In conclusion
There are several forms of gingivitis and periodontitis; however, in more than 90% of cases, a dentist encounters "normal" plaque induced by gingivitis and adult periodontitis in their daily practice. And the cause of this most common form of gum disease is bacteria contained in microbial plaque. Early diagnosis by a dentist with an explanation of the causes and adequate care, together with motivating the patient to perform more thorough and correct oral hygiene, can, in most cases, prevent the feared consequences of periodontitis, which include irreversible damage to the tissues of the tooth suspension apparatus, destruction of the alveolar bone, and loss of teeth or the entire dentition. Time is of the essence, so please reach out to us today to schedule an appointment for a complete cleaning and examination.