Online Dental Insurance, What is Periodontitis
Periodontitis is an inflammatory disease that affects the periodontium, which is the group of all the tissues that surround and support your teeth. Among these tissues, the periodontium is made of the alveolar bone, the gums, the periodontal ligament and the cementum. Periodontitis is a progressive loss of alveolar bone around teeth. If periodontitis is not treated, teeth begin to move, shift and eventually fall out. This disease is mainly caused by harmful bacteria and protozoa, and an aggressive response of the immune system against these microorganisms. The dentist makes the diagnosis by detecting the presence of periodontal pockets (spaces created between the gums and the teeth) and the analysis of X-rays to evaluate bone loss.
