HOW DOES PERIODONTITIS DEVELOP?

  • Plaque can spread and grow below the gumline.
  • Toxins produced by the bacteria in plaque irritate the gums.
  • The toxins stimulate a chronic inflammatory response in which the body, in essence, turns on itself.
  • The tissues and bone that support the teeth are broken down and destroyed,
  • The gums separate from the teeth, forming pockets (spaces between the teeth and gums) that become infected.
  • As the disease progresses, the pockets deepen and more gum tissue and bone are destroyed.
  • Although this destructive process has very mild symptoms, eventually teeth can become loose and may have to be removed.

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