What Are the Common Types of Gum Disease?

Gum disease is the inflammation and infection of the gums and surrounding tissues. It is mainly caused by poor oral health habits that lead to plaque build-up. Gum disease primarily affects older people and the many risk factors that may lead to its development and progression. There are different types of gum disease, such as:

teeth close up

Gingivitis

The gum disease’s initial or early stage is referred to as gingivitis. Failure to practice good oral hygiene will accumulate bacterial plaque on the teeth surfaces, which eventually causes inflammation in the gum line and the tissues around due to bacteria activity. Gingivitis is treatable through professional teeth cleaning and scaling.

Periodontitis

Suppose gingivitis is not treated for an extended period. In that case, it leads to periodontitis, which is a severe oral condition that destroys the gums and jawbone, and finally results in tooth loss. What usually happens is that the bacteria spreads beneath the gum line, leading to the formation of tiny pockets in the gums and teeth. These periodontal pockets continue to deepen, causing more damage to the connective tissues. Further infections of the periodontal pockets lead to severe destruction of the jawline and, finally, bone loss.

Aggressive Periodontitis

Aggressive periodontitis is a chronic oral condition that develops and progresses to a severe and irreversible stage after several decades. At this stage, the periodontal tissues are damaged at the rate of 0.2 to 0.25 annually. There are many contributory causes for aggressive periodontitis, with the main one being a herpes viral-bacteria co-infection.

Necrotising Periodontal Disease

This oral condition is rare, and it consists death of periodontal support tissue, gum tissue, or bone. The main contributory factors include immunodeficiency condition, severe stress, and malnutrition. The disease is managed through good cooperation and consultation of doctors and dentists.