Comments on: Stages of Gum Disease http://www.natural-holistic-health.com/stages-gum-disease/ Learn how to keep you and your family healthy safely and holistically. Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:51:39 +0200 hourly 1 By: scottsdale cosmetic dentist http://www.natural-holistic-health.com/stages-gum-disease/#comment-46097 scottsdale cosmetic dentist Wed, 25 Feb 2009 03:32:39 +0000 http://www.natural-holistic-health.com/general/mouth-teeth/stages-gum-disease/#comment-46097 Periodontitis is usually chronic because it is slowly progressing. Recall that first we see gingivitis (inflammation of the gums with no active bone loss) before the bone loss (periodontitis) starts. Gingivitis can be seen fairly soon after bad hygiene starts, and usually goes away when local causative factors are removed. Periodontitis, however, takes years to start and the bone loss is slow. It happens after years of gingivitis. When the teeth are cleaned and the plaque removed, the bone loss will stop (providing the patient improves their oral hygiene habits). This is how it is treated. Rather than saying that periodontitis is "incurable," it is better to say that it is "irreversible" since the bone does not regrow and the bone loss is permanent. But as long as the bone loss is stopped, the patient does not have periodontitis. Periodontitis is usually chronic because it is slowly progressing. Recall that first we see gingivitis (inflammation of the gums with no active bone loss) before the bone loss (periodontitis) starts. Gingivitis can be seen fairly soon after bad hygiene starts, and usually goes away when local causative factors are removed. Periodontitis, however, takes years to start and the bone loss is slow. It happens after years of gingivitis.

When the teeth are cleaned and the plaque removed, the bone loss will stop (providing the patient improves their oral hygiene habits). This is how it is treated. Rather than saying that periodontitis is “incurable,” it is better to say that it is “irreversible” since the bone does not regrow and the bone loss is permanent. But as long as the bone loss is stopped, the patient does not have periodontitis.

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