The History, Statistics, and What You Need to Know About Periodontitis

What is Periodontitis?

According to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, when gingivitis, also known as inflammation of gums in the mouth, does not become controlled by proper oral hygiene or treatment, periodontal disease can occur. Periodontal disease is an infection that affects the gums in your mouth, in which the gums recede away from the teeth to form holes that can become infected by bacteria; severe damage of the soft tissue and bones attached to your teeth can occur. When plaque accumulates on the teeth without some way of consistent removal, the plaque will spread below the gum line, harmful bacteria can be released, and this is what causes the breakdown of soft tissue and bone underneath the teeth. Sometimes teeth have to be removed due to the severity of periodontitis present.

Entire Source of This Section: (NIH Publications, 2012)

Image of normal gums versus inflamed gums with periodontal disease from http://tribecanydentistoffice.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/periodontitis.jpg

The Root of the Problem: Statistics and History

Dr. John Mankey Riggs. Photo courtesy of 3.bp.blogspot.com

Periodontitis was first observed in the 18th and 19th century through empirical guesses and observation by Dr. John Mankey Riggs, a dentist who focused on periodontal cases, named the disease as Riggs disease or pyorrhea, and researched and published his findings on therapeutic methods for periodontal ailments; further developments in periodontal disease knowledge followed with the development of advanced microscopy methods for observing bacteria in gum tissue (New Mexico Dental Hygienists Association, 2014). In addition, Riggs found that periodontal disease caused inflammation of the gums and the teeth would be surrounded in infectious pus which weakens them (Katz, 2012).

According to the American Academy of Periodontology, over half of American adults have periodontal disease (Eke et al., 2012). Collected data from the CDC's 2009-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey contained a "full -mouth periodontal examination," and researchers found the following statistics in the United States:

• Periodontal disease occurs more highly in men (56.4% versus 38.4% in women)
• Mexican Americans had the highest rate of occurrence of periodontal disease for a particular race (66.7%)
• High prevalence rates were found in smokers (64.2%), the poor (65.4%), and people with less than a high school diploma (66.9%)
• 47.2% or 67.4 million adults in the U.S. have some form of periodontitis 

American Academy of Periodontology noted that Dr. Paul Eke (2012) put fault on public health programs that fail to promote oral health awareness, and he observes that periodontal disease definitely affects the population that is over the age of 65 years old at a higher rate than other age groups.

Clinical Symptoms

According to Mayo Clinic, some physical symptoms of periodontitis include gum swelling, red or purple gums, tender feel in the gums, recession of gums that exposes more of the tooth to your mouth and the environment, bleeding or sensitive gums, spaces or pockets developing in between teeth, pus between teeth or gums, foul odor of the mouth, a bad taste in the mouth, weak or loose teeth, and having a bite that shifts or feels as though the teeth move around (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2014).

Detection and Diagnosis

Periodontitis develops gradually according to the Mayo Clinic (2014). Healthy gums are usually pinkPeriodontitis can come in two forms (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2014). Chronic periodontitis is a common form of the disease that affects mostly adults, and the symptoms are gradually present asymptomatically at first. Aggressive or acute periodontitis shows severe symptoms right away, and only a small number of people, usually children and teens, are infected (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2014).

According to the NIH's information page of periodontitis, a dental x-ray showing bone loss may be used in diagnosing periodontitis properly. In addition, a periodontist who specializes in gum treatment may be able to further categorize the stage of periodontal disease present through further examination of dental and medical histories (2012). 

According to the Journal of Clinical Periodontology (2000), diagnosis of the different levels of periodontitis is classified with respect to gum recession present. Minor periodontitis entails bone loss that is less than 1/3 of the root length, less then 3 mm, while moderate periodontitis includes 2 or more infected teeth, bone loss at greater than 1/3 of the root, and 4 to 5 mm of lost attachment of gum tissue, and severe periodontitis is categorized by more than 2 infected teeth, bone loss at 1/2 the root length or more, and about 6 mm or more of gum tissue loss (Journal of Periodontology, 2000).

A periodontist examining a dental x-ray to detect bone loss in a patient,  from http://riversidedentalblog.com

Post Bibliography

"CDC: Half of American Adults Have Periodontal Disease | Perio.org."CDC: Half of American Adults Have Periodontal Disease | Perio.org. American Academy of Periodontology , 1 Jan. 2012. Web. 20 June 2014. <http://www.perio.org/consumer/cdc-study.htm>.

"Diagnosis of Periodontitis." Journal of Clinical Periodontology. 27.12 (2000): 960-961. Print.

Dr. John M. Riggs. Digital image. The Painful History of Painless Dentistry. Dr. Wendell A. Howe, 31 Jan. 2012. Web. 14 June 2014. <https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqWL_Y_Dh3ULa7JM82vyjBYEsqtYfNC0Tg_1eHeKRe-0uO9got-Uhryj2562n68EcwaKq2m0BGlw-_sccMpghh8NkQH-kshIXI2WVRtARRqYMcKCqtokVqyjks7kCLdOBVjo60BZMVlW4/s1600/Riggs_John_M.jpg>.

Katz, D.D.S., Harold. "The long, gross history of periodontal disease." The long, gross history of periodontal disease. N.p., 1 Jan. 2012. Web. 18 June 2014. <http://www.therabreath.com/articles/blog/fresh-breath-happenings/the-long-gross-history-of-periodontal-disease-5638.asp>.

P.I., Eke , Dye B. A., Wei L., Thornton-Evans G. O., and Genco R. J.. "Prevalence of Periodontitis in Adults in the United States: 2009 and 2010." Prevalence of Periodontitis in Adults in the United States: 2009 and 2010. Journal of Dental Research , 18 Sept. 2012. Web. 20 June 2014. <http://jdr.sagepub.com/content/early/2012/08/29/0022034512457373.abst

Periodontal Disease X-Ray Examination. Digital image. Riverside Dental Blog. N.p., Mar. 2012. Web. 14 June 2014. <http://riversidedentalblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/gum-disease.jpg>.

"Periodontal (Gum) Disease: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments." National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research: Part of the NIH, 1 Aug. 2012. Web. 20 June 2014. <http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/nidcr2.nih.gov/Templates/CommonPage.aspx?NRMODE=Published&NRNODEGUID=%7bCE246689-D899-4CC7-B68A-805AD910F4E7%7d&NRORIGINALURL=%2fOralHealth%2fTopics%2fGumDiseases%2fPeriodontalGumDisease%2ehtm&NRCACHEHINT=Guest#howDoI>.

"Periodontitis." Symptoms. Mayo Clinic Staff, 1 Jan. 2014. Web. 17 June 2014. <http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/periodontitis/basics/symptoms/con-20021679>.

"Periodontium Image ." . Tribecany Dentist Office , 1 Jan. 2013. Web. 20 June 2014. <http://tribecanydentistoffice.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/periodontitis.jpg>.

"The Roots of Periodontology." . New Mexico Dental Hygiene Association, 1 Jan. 2014. Web. 19 June 2014. <http://www.nmdha.org/docs/The_Roots_of_Periodontology.pdf>.