Periodontal Disease - Introduction

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• Periodontitis that occurs before puberty is very rare. It begins with the eruption of primary teeth in the first year and causes severe inflammation and bone and tooth loss.
• Juvenile periodontitis begins at puberty and is defined by severe bone loss around the first molars and incisors. It is more common in girls than in boys. The clinical signs such as inflammation, bleeding, and heavy plaque accumulation are not present in this relatively rare disease. The treatment is the same as in chronic periodontitis.
• Rapidly progressive periodontitis occurs in the early 20s to mid-30s. Severe inflammation and rapid bone and connective tissue loss occur, and tooth loss is possible within a year of onset.

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Disease-Related Periodontitis. Periodontitis can also be associated with a number of systemic diseases, including type 1 diabetes, Down syndrome, AIDS, and several rare disorders of white blood cells.

Acute Necrotizing Periodontal Disease. Acute necrotizing periodontal disease is an acute infection in the gums. It is characterized by:

• Black, dead tissue (necrosis)
• Spontaneous bleeding
• Rapid onset of pain
• Bad odor
• Blunted gum tissue (tissue is normally cone-shaped)

Stress, poor diet, smoking, and viral infections are predisposing factors for this acute necrotizing periodontal disease.

Review Date: 11/10/2006
Reviewed By: Harvey Simon, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org).