Periodontal disease is the result of infections and inflammation that occurs to the gums and surrounding tissue which supports the teeth. During the early stages of periodontal disease, your doctor may mention the term “gingivitis”, this is when the gums become very swollen and red and may start to bleed. While this form is the early stage, it can still form into the more serious stage which is periodontitis, this is when the gums begin to pull away from the teeth, during this stage some of the bone can be lost, and the teeth can become loose and fall out. Periodontal disease and tooth decay are two of the largest threats to patients in dental health today.

When it comes to periodontal disease, there are four main stages for it, they include:

1. Gingivitis
During this stage, the disease is still reversible, this means it has not yet had the chance to stick to the bone and attack it.

2. Slight Periodontal Disease
Starting from now, and for the next three stages, these stages cannot be reversed but managed. The infection will begin to spread to the bone.

3. Moderate Periodontal Disease
With moderate periodontal disease, the depths with this particular stage end up reaching between six to seven mm, this allows for more bacteria to attack the bones, and make their way into your bloodstream to cause havoc on the immune system.

4. Advanced Periodontal Disease
Advanced periodontal disease is the most advanced stage of the disease, the infection has now deepened further and caused bacteria to evolve into a disease-causing bacterium.

Periodontal disease has stages, and over time becomes worse. At first, you will notice inflammation of the gums and bleeding, and from there it grows:

– Inflammation
– Bleeding gums when flossing or brushing your teeth
– Bad breath
– Changes in the position of the teeth
– Loose teeth
– Receding gums
– Tender, red, and/or swollen gums
– Tartar on the teeth
– Plaque buildup
– Pain when chewing
– Tooth loss
– Inflammatory response within the body
– Foul taste within the mouth

One of the very first signs that you are having issues with your oral health is when you begin noticing your gums are inflamed, or bleeding when you brush or floss. At this point, many do not know they are showing early signs of periodontal disease; however, with a dentist appointment for a checkup and cleaning, your dentist will notice this and point it out.

Once you get into the early stages, you will notice gums begin to recede and pull away from the teeth, this will form small pockets in the gums and teeth that can harbor harmful bacteria which if not treated can go on to cause more harm.

Moderate periodontal disease will showcase more pain and bleeding around the teeth and gums as they recess. Your teeth at this stage will begin to lose bone support and may become quite loose.

Advanced periodontal disease will begin after and you will experience severe levels of pain in the teeth, at this point, the gums, bones, and other surrounding tissues have been destroyed. Pain while chewing, foul taste in the mouth and severe bad breath are all a part of advanced periodontal disease.

If left untreated, periodontal disease has long-term consequences like mild to moderate infections and bleeding of the gums. During the progression, tartar and bacteria are invading the gums deeper, while damaging tissue and the underlying jaw bone and ligaments. Due to this, you will begin to notice receding gums, moderate to severe bone damage, and eventually over time, tooth loss.

While it does major damage to your oral health, the bacteria from periodontal disease does not stop there. It continues to grow and enter your bloodstream, traveling throughout the body and causing other major health issues including arthritis, stroke, diabetes, and heart disease. It is critical that you treat periodontal disease long before it gets to the point of wrecking your oral and overall physical health.

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