Periodontitis is a severe and irreversible form of gum disease that is characterised by the destruction of the supporting structures of the teeth (the bone and gum). It has three different stages – mild, moderate and severe.
This can easily happen if you are not a regularly see a dental professional as gingivitis and its progression into periodontitis generally doesn’t cause pain. The warning signs people get such as bleeding are often ignored or mistaken for tooth brushing or flossing trauma. Furthermore, it is a common misconception that gum recession is part of the aging process, so this too is often ignored. If periodontitis is not first diagnosed by a dental professional, the patient may become aware that something isn’t right when they notice teeth becoming mobile, moving in position or suffer pain which can be either localised or generalised.
Fortunately it is possible to treat periodontitis and in many cases, it can be stabilised. This means that the destruction of the supporting bone and gum can be halted in its current position. Unfortunately, any bone and gum loss is irreversible as these structures do not grow back.