You may have heard the terms periodontal disease and gingivitis, but you might not be clear on what those conditions entail. It can be confusing, but it’s essential to understand to maintain good oral health. Let’s take a closer look at these six types of periodontal disease.
1. Gingivitis 
Gingivitis is the first and most often the beginning stage of periodontal disease, and it is the only stage that is reversible. Having Gingivitis simply means inflammation of the gums.
Your gums should be pink and firm, but when gingivitis sets in, they become red, swollen, and sore. They may also bleed easily. It’s important to seek dental care at this stage to prevent it from progressing.
2. Periodontitis
Periodontitis is the next stage of gum disease. It is not reversible, but it can be managed. At this stage, gum disease begins to affect not only the gum tissue but also the teeth, including those areas below the gum line and your jawbone.
With periodontitis, you might experience receding gums, gingival pockets, and chronic bad breath. You might also have gingival pockets that contain pus as a result of the infection in your mouth.
3. Aggressive Periodontitis
Aggressive periodontitis refers to gum disease that progresses rapidly. It can destroy your gum tissue, the gingival ligaments that hold your teeth in place, and your bone.
4. Chronic Periodontitis
This refers to long-term inflammation of gum tissues and bone loss. The deterioration of gum tissues happens more slowly than with aggressive periodontitis and is characterized by gingival pockets and gum recession.
5. Systemic Periodontitis
It’s equally important to recognize that your oral health is a critical part of your overall health. It both affects other systems in your body and is affected by other systems in your body.
Systemic periodontitis refers to gum disease that is caused by systemic disease. These include diabetes, heart disease, and respiratory disease.
6. Necrotizing Periodontal Disease
This type of periodontal disease typically happens in people suffering from severe systemic diseases like malnutrition, HIV, and immunosuppression. Necrosis is a word that refers to the death of living tissues.
In the case of necrotizing periodontal disease, this means that gum tissue, periodontal ligaments, and alveolar bone are dying. This happens when those tissues are deprived of the nourishment they need to stay healthy.
We Can Help!
The professional staff at the office of Dr. Barry Buchanan are passionate about helping you maintain good oral health. So no matter what you’re experiencing, including these types of periodontal disease, call us today. Our team wants to help you improve your smile!
