What is Periodontal Disease?
Periodontal disease is a chronic inflammatory condition that affects the gums and bone supporting your teeth. Like other inflammatory diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, autoimmune disorders, and inflammatory bowel disease, periodontal disease is influenced by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Some of these are beyond our control, but many can be improved with proper care and intervention.
The disease begins when pathogenic bacteria settle under the gumline, triggering your immune system to respond. This immune reaction can lead to slow deterioration of the jawbone surrounding the affected teeth. One of the main goals of treatment is to eliminate the bacterial pathway to disease, reducing inflammation and preserving oral health.
These bacteria live within a biofilm which is a sticky, calcified barrier that protects them and makes them resistant to certain treatments. Over time, these biofilms can move deeper beneath the gumline, hiding in the nooks and crannies of the root surfaces. It often takes years for periodontal disease to evolve, making early detection and monitoring essential.
Why Don’t My Teeth Hurt?
One of the most misleading aspects of periodontal disease is that pain is not an early symptom. In fact, discomfort typically doesn’t appear until the disease has reached an advanced stage—when treatment options may be limited or unpredictable. If your goal is a healthy mouth, waiting for pain is not a good strategy.
Why Wasn’t This Discovered Sooner?
Periodontal disease progresses slowly and often silently. Even if you’ve been seeing a hygienist regularly, the disease may not be detectable in its early stages. Stress or other inflammatory processes in the body can escalate the condition. Everyone’s immune system is different, and the body can do a great job of masking symptoms. When signs like bleeding gums or deeper pockets appear consistently, that’s when we begin to identify and manage the disease.
What is a SalivaScore™?
Your SalivaScore™ measures a specific inflammatory marker in your saliva. It doesn’t diagnose periodontal disease directly, but it does help identify your risk level. A high score does not mean you have periodontal disease, but it means there’s a greater chance of damage from inflammation in the presence of bacterial biofilms.
At Dental365, we use SalivaScore™ as part of our comprehensive diagnostic approach to help patients understand their oral health and make informed decisions about treatment.
Treatment Options
In its early stages, periodontal infections can be managed with scaling and root planing which is a deep cleaning procedure that removes bacterial plaque from below the gumline. If inflammation persists, more advanced treatments may be necessary, including laser-assisted therapy or periodontal surgery.
Long-Term Health Implications
The goal of treatment is to eliminate bacterial biofilms and create a healthy environment for your gums and bone to recover. Proper home care and regular hygiene visits every 3-4 months are critical for maintaining periodontal health.
Even with the best care, teeth weakened by the disease may continue to deteriorate over time. If a tooth cannot be saved, we’ll discuss all available replacement options and help you plan the next steps.
The Link Between Gum Disease and Systemic Health
Periodontal disease doesn’t just affect your mouth—it can impact your entire body. Chronic inflammation from gum disease has been linked to diabetes, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and pregnancy complications. The process by which periodontal plaques form is similar to atherosclerotic disease, highlighting the importance of managing oral inflammation as part of your overall health strategy.
Take Control of Your Oral Health
Periodontal inflammation is one of many factors, including lifestyle, genetics, and other health conditions, that play a role in the development of systemic diseases.
Ask your Dental365 provider about SalivaScore™ and how we can help you prevent or manage periodontal disease with personalized care and advanced diagnostics.