What is Gum Disease? Ultimate Guide to Everything You Need to Know

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According to the CDC, about 4 in 10 U.S. adults 30 years or older had a mild, moderate, or severe level of gum disease, making it quite common in the country. Learning about the condition can help you take care of your teeth and support others in recovery.

This blog covers everything you need to know about gum disease, including causes, types, risk factors, treatment, and prevention.

What is Periodontal Disease?

Gum disease, also known as periodontal disease, refers to an infection and inflammation of the gums and supporting tissues around the teeth. It begins with bacterial growth in the mouth and can progress to affect the bone that supports your teeth if you do not get treatment. You could even lose teeth.

What Causes Gum Disease?

Gum disease is primarily caused by bad oral hygiene. With poor oral hygiene, food builds up and mixes with bacteria in your mouth to form plaque (also called calculus). Over time, it hardens into tartar, which carries bacteria that irritate and inflame gum tissue.

Gum Disease Risk Factors

Several risk factors can increase your chance of developing gum disease. They include:

Poor Oral Hygiene: It's the leading cause because it allows plaque, which turns into tartar.
Smoking: Smoking is the most common lifestyle risk. The habit weakens your immunity, making it harder to fight off bacterial infections. Also, smoking constricts blood vessels, making it hard for you to see bleeding. Therefore, the disease worsens unnoticed.
Diabetes: High blood sugar makes it easier for bacteria to grow and harder for the body to heal. But having gum disease can actually make it harder for a diabetic person to control their blood sugar.
Poor Nutrition: Your nutrition determines how well your body can fight that infection and repair damage to the infected tissue. If you have a Vitamin C deficiency or lack calcium, it could make it harder to fight off periodontal gum disease.
Medications: Many common drugs (such as those for blood pressure or allergies) cause dry mouth. Without enough saliva to wash away bacteria and neutralize acids, gum disease continues to grow.
Malocclusion (Misaligned Bite): Misaligned teeth create hard-to-reach crevices that are almost impossible to clean with a toothbrush or floss. This leads to higher plaque buildup and, if left untreated, gum disease.
Bruxism and Clenching: Bruxism is grinding or gnashing your teeth, while clenching is holding them tightly together. Constant grinding stretches and inflames the periodontal ligament that holds teeth in place, making the space wider where bacteria can hide.
Stress: According to an article by Laboratorios KIN, chronic stress causes periodontal disease. Stress can trigger the release of cortisol, which suppresses the immune system. This makes it much harder for your gums to fight against the infection.

Signs and Symptoms of Periodontal Disease

Periodontitis is one of the oral health diseases where early detection can make all the difference. Therefore, always be on the lookout for these common symptoms of gum disease:

Swollen, tender, or bleeding gums
Bad taste in the mouth
Pus between teeth and gums or suppuration (usually means the disease has progressed into periodontitis)
Bleeding gums when brushing or flossing
Gum recession or gums pulling away from teeth (your teeth will look longer, and you will have periodontal pockets)
Constant bad breath (because of bacterial pockets under the gums)
Loose or sensitive teeth
Changes in bite or the way teeth fit together (your teeth are shifting because they have lost their bone support)
Pain when chewing

Stages of Gum Disease

When researching gum disease, you will likely come across terms such as gingivitis and periodontitis. While many people use the terms interchangeably, they are different. So what is gingivitis, and is it the same as periodontitis? They are the types/ stages of periodontal disease. Here's a closer look at each:

Gingivitis: The Reversible Stage

Gingivitis is the first response to plaque (sticky bacterial buildup) forming on your teeth. The plaque causes inflammation, swelling, redness, and tender, puffy gums that bleed easily. This stage is reversible because the bacteria have not attacked the underlying bone or ligaments.

Moderate Periodontitis: The Point of No Return

Untreated gingivitis can turn into periodontitis, a chronic inflammatory condition. In this stage, the gums pull away from the teeth, which creates pockets that can hide more bacteria.

Also, the body’s immune response to the bacteria starts to break down the bone and connective tissue that hold teeth in place. This stage is, unfortunately, irreversible.

Severe Periodontitis: The Danger Zone

In this stage, your gum pockets deepen, making it impossible to clean them at home. Also, your tooth anchors will show a lot of erosion in an X-ray. There is a high risk for tooth loss as tender gums, bleeding, recession, and pus become more severe when the infection spreads.

Advanced Periodontitis: Stage IV

This is the final stage of gum disease. At this stage, periodontal disease progresses to actively destroying the foundation of the mouth. You can lose more than 50% of the bone support around your teeth, meaning tooth loss. You will also experience pain when you chew, and may have pus oozing from the gum line. You cannot treat periodontal disease at this stage; you can only manage it with surgery.

How Do Dental Professionals Diagnose Gum Disease?

Dentists diagnose periodontal disease through a combination of the following methods:

Visual Examination: Gum disease shows evidence on the gums. Therefore, your dentist will first do a visual examination, checking for redness, swelling, recession, heavy deposits under the gum line, and other signs. Even the mildest form of gum disease will show something.
Periodontal Probing: The dentist uses a tiny ruler called a periodontal probe to measure the "pocket" between the affected tooth and gum. 1 to 3mm means that you can clean it at home; 4mm is gingivitis, while 5mm or more means the pockets are too deep for a toothbrush.
Dental X-Rays: X-rays measure the foundation. The bone in a healthy mouth should come up almost to where the crown of the tooth meets the root surfaces. An X-ray will show if the bone has melted away because of infection.

A mild periodontitis diagnosis can prevent more serious issues down the line. If you're experiencing any symptoms, schedule a checkup because it could be the difference between surgical and nonsurgical treatment.

Treatment for Gum Disease

The stage of gum disease determines treatment. The most common options include:

Professional Dental Cleaning

This is for people with gingivitis because the serious bacterial infection has not reached the bone yet. The goal is to remove the plaque and tartar that you can't reach with a toothbrush. A dental hygienist usually does the cleaning. If you maintain good oral hygiene, you can reverse the effects on the soft tissues and restore healthy gums.

Scaling and Root Planing

This is the standard treatment for periodontitis. It is more intensive than a regular cleaning and often requires numbing the area. Scaling involves scraping away tartar from above and below the gum line, all the way to the bottom of the pocket.

The hygienist follows up with root planing, which involves smoothing the rough surfaces of the root. This makes it harder for bacteria to stick there in the future and helps the gum tissue reattach to the tooth.

Antibiotic Therapy

A dentist will use antibiotics to treat the bacterial infection where tools can't reach. The dentist will place gels or chips directly into the gum pockets after a deep cleaning. These release medicine over the next few days. If your infection is aggressive, your dentist may also prescribe a pill.

Surgical Treatments

When pockets are too deep to clean with standard tools or when you've lost too much bone, you will need surgery. An oral surgeon may conduct flap surgery where they lift the gum back for thorough cleaning, then suture it back around the tooth.

If the disease has destroyed your jawbone, then an oral surgeon can replace the lost area with synthetic or natural bone fragments. This helps stabilize the tooth and prevent tooth loss.

Tips For Recovery from Periodontal Disease

Gum disease recovery is all about taking care of your oral health. Here are some tips to help:

Use an Antibacterial Mouthwash: Your dentist may prescribe a mouthwash that you should use as directed to keep the bacteria count low.
Keep All Dental Appointments: Keep up with aftercare appointments with your dentist or surgeon. They will monitor your healing and offer advice on taking care of your oral health.
Avoid Smoking and Alcohol: Smoking and alcohol undo your progress by increasing treatment failure.
Gently Brush: Keep the area clean, but do not use too much pressure as it can irritate sensitive tissue or delay healing of blood clots.
Use a Water Flosser: After initial healing (about two weeks), use a good water flosser to keep your teeth clean. Start on low pressure, then increase pressure as you become more comfortable.

How to Prevent Periodontal Disease

Prevention starts with good daily habits. Always do the following to prevent gingivitis and the progression of gum disease:

Brush at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste for at least two minutes.
Floss daily to remove plaque between teeth.
Use a deep cleaning water flosser to reach hard-to-clean areas.
Eat a balanced diet and limit sugary snacks.
Visit your dentist at least twice a year for professional cleanings.

Get Cheeky Water Flosser: Ultimate Prevention Tool for Gum Disease

A high-quality water flosser is one of the best tools for preventing gum disease or assisting in recovery. At Get Cheeky, we offer a deep-cleaning water flosser, which is suitable for everyone, including those with crowded teeth and dental work such as bridges and implants.

Our water flosser:

Removes thick buildup and food debris.
Offers five cleaning modes for every sensitivity level.
Has customizable pressure settings.
Is gentle on tender gums.
Reaches difficult areas where string floss can’t.

Get Cheeky is here to help you improve your oral health and prevent early periodontal disease from progressing with our water flosser.

FAQs

What is the Cause of Gum Disease?

Gum disease is mainly caused by plaque buildup because of poor oral hygiene. Other risk factors include smoking, systemic diseases such as diabetes, poor nutrition, and hormonal changes.

How Long Can You Keep Your Teeth With Periodontal Disease?

With proper treatment and care, many people can manage periodontal disease and keep their teeth for life. The key is early treatment and consistent maintenance.

Is Periodontal Disease Contagious?

You can catch the bacteria that cause gum disease through saliva, such as sharing spoons and drinking from the same straw. However, it does not mean that you will get infected. If you have a strong immune system and a good oral hygiene routine, you can eliminate the bacteria before they cause damage.

How to Fix Gum Disease at Home?

If you're still in the early stages of gum disease with no bone loss, then you may recover without professional treatment by brushing your teeth and flossing daily. You should also improve your diet and reduce stress to support recovery. However, it's always advisable to visit a professional dentist if you notice any warning signs of gum disease.

What Does Gum Disease Look Like?

In the early stages, it may cause red, swollen gums that bleed easily. In advanced stages, you may notice receding gums, loose teeth, pain, and pus around the gum line.

Final Thoughts

Gum disease doesn’t have to lead to tooth loss or painful dental procedures. By understanding what causes the disease and taking proactive steps, you can protect your gums and overall oral health for years to come.

Remember, the earlier you act, the better your chances of reversing the damage and avoiding advanced gum disease.

Reference List

About Periodontal (Gum) Disease. (2024, 15/04/24) U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Lorenzo, María del Mar Ferrándiz. Relationship between Stress and Oral Health: Effects and Recommended Care. (2025, 31/08/25) Laboratorios KIN.