Periodontal (gum) disease is caused by food particles and the sticky, colorless film that adheres to your teeth called plaque. Because it’s usually painless and slow to progress, periodontal disease can easily reach an advanced stage, resulting in deterioration of gums and bone structure and then tooth loss. So how do you know if you have periodontal disease?
•Healthy gums and bone anchor the teeth in place.
•If plaque builds up on teeth, it hardens and becomes calculus, or tartar. In gingivitis, the early stage of periodontal disease, warning signs may include swollen, bleeding gums or persistent bad breath. However, most people notice no symptoms at all.
•Periodontitis is a more advanced stage of gum disease and often results from untreated gingivitis. Tartar irritates the gums and causes them to pull away from the teeth, forming pockets that fill with more plaque.
•In advanced periodontitis, the pockets grow deeper, and plaque moves further down toward the tooth root, destroying supporting bone. The affected teeth may become loose and eventually fall out.