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Gingivitis is the less invasive form of gum disease and is reversible with proper treatment. There are often no symptoms with gingivitis.
Periodontitis is the most severe kind of gum disease and is caused when gingivitis is left untreated. Symptoms are mild until the end stages of the disease. - The most common forms of periodontitis are aggressive periodontitis, which happens to healthy people and causes rapid bone loss and gum detachment, necrotizing periodontal disease, which happens most often in malnourished people or those with AIDS and causes death of tissue, ligaments and bone, periodontitis caused by a systematic disease and chronic periodontitis, which is the most common form.
- Symptoms of gingivitis are red and swollen gums that bleed easily. Tenderness of gums, bad breath, gums pulling away from teeth, loose teeth and changes in tooth alignment are all symptoms that can be present with periodontitis.
- Some things that increase the chance of developing gum disease include smoking or chewing tobacco, pregnancy or using birth control, fillings that have gone bad, having diabetes, incorrectly fitting bridges or crooked teeth and certain medications.
- Treatment options for periodontal disease include cleaning the roots of the teeth to remove bacteria and plaque, along with taking antimicrobials and host modulation. If root cleaning doesn't work, surgery may be called for to fix the problem. There are four different types of surgeries available for gum disease patients.
