A destructive infection of the gum and underlying bone. It is gingivitis that has gotten out of control and has started to destroy the connection between the gum and the tooth. It is characterized by red, swollen and bleeding gums and will result in tooth loss if it is not treated. The infection causes the bone and ligament which hold the tooth in place to be destroyed. It is also known as periodontal disease and Pyorrhea. How aggressively the infection destroys the bone and gum which support the teeth is influenced by whether or not the patient smokes, if they are diabetic, if they are genetically predisposed, if they are on certain medications and if they clench and grind their teeth. Gum infection has also been linked to cardiovascular disease, stroke, low birth weight and preterm newborns, difficulty in controlling diabetes and recent evidence suggests it may affect Alzheimer’s and upper respiratory tract infections.
