Recent research has indicated that severe periodontitis (sometimes referred to as severe periodontal disease) was the sixth most prevalent condition in the world in 2010.
The research looked at 72 studies involving a total of 291,170 people and estimated that worldwide 743 million people are affected by severe periodontal disease.
What is periodontitis?
If the naturally occurring bacteria and other microorganisms that dwell in your mouth are not actively removed with toothbrushing and flossing, they multiply to form plaque.
This plaque tends to build up most around the gum line and in between your teeth (as these are the areas easiest to miss when cleaning) and after just a few days causes your gums to become irritated, red and inflamed and bleed when you brush them. This early stage is referred to as gingivitis.
Untreated gingivitis can turn into periodontitis. The plaque on your teeth matures and becomes rock hard (called calculus or tartar) making it almost impossible for you to remove alone. Your body produces chemicals in reaction to the inflammation that break down the bone and connective tissue surrounding the teeth causing periodontal pockets and the gums to recede around the teeth.
Video: Gingivitis
As the gums recede the plaque grows further down the root of the tooth and the process continues can eventually lead tooth mobility, gum infections, abscesses and tooth loss.
The rate of progression of gum disease can be fast or slow and differs from person to person and is dependant on many different variables such as a person’s general health, diabetes, history of smoking, genetic susceptibility and much more.
Video: Periodontitis Stages
Treatment
Treatment of gum disease centres on your dental professional removing all the plaque and calculus from the teeth and working with you to find a cleaning regimen which will allow you to keep the plaque from building up on a daily basis. Without the plaque present, the inflammation resolves and the destructive process ceases. Regular visits to your dentist and hygienist are essential to keep on top of this problem and make sure the disease does not recommence.
References:
Journal of Dental Research: Global Burden of Severe Periodontitis in 1990-2010: A Systematic Review and Meta-regression, Kassebaum NJ, Bernabé E, Dahiya M, Bhandari B, Murray CJ, Marcenes W. (26 September 2014, pii: 0022034514552491. [Epub ahead of print] Review. PubMed PMID: 25261053).
