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Periodontal Disease
Basics of Oral
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Children’s Oral What is periodontal disease? What is the CDC doing about
Health periodontal disease?
Causes
Adult Oral Health + Podcasts About Periodontal
Disease and Diabetes
Older Adult Oral Warning signs
Health
Additional Resources
Risk factors
Disparities in Oral
Health Reference
Prevention and treatment
Oral Health
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Conditions

Periodontal
What is periodontal disease?
Disease
Periodontal diseases are mainly the result of infections and in!ammation of the
gums and bone that surround and support the teeth. In its early stage, called
Oral Health Fast + gingivitis, the gums can become swollen and red, and they may bleed. In its more
Facts serious form, called periodontitis, the gums can pull away from the tooth, bone can
be lost, and the teeth may loosen or even fall out. Periodontal disease is mostly seen
Oral Health + in adults. Periodontal disease and tooth decay are the two biggest threats to dental
Infographics health.

Community Water + A recent CDC report1 provides the following data related to prevalence of
Fluoridation periodontitis in the U.S.:

47.2% of adults aged 30 years and older have some form of periodontal
Dental Sealants +
disease.

Infection Prevention + Periodontal disease increases with age, 70.1% of adults 65 years and older have
& Control in Dental periodontal disease.
Settings
This condition is more common in men than women (56.4% vs 38.4%), those living
below the federal poverty level (65.4%), those with less than a high school education
Oral Health Data + (66.9%), and current smokers (64.2%)
Tools

Oral Health + Causes

Programs
Bacteria in the mouth infect tissue surrounding the tooth, causing in!ammation
around the tooth leading to periodontal disease. When bacteria stay on the teeth
Research & +
long enough, they form a "lm called plaque, which eventually hardens to tartar, also
Publications
called calculus. Tartar build-up can spread below the gum line, which makes the
teeth harder to clean. Then, only a dental health professional can remove the tartar
CDC Dental Public + and stop the periodontal disease process.
Health Residency
Program
Warning signs
About the Division +
of Oral Health The following are warning signs of periodontal disease:

Bad breath or bad taste that won’t go away

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Red or swollen gums
Tender or bleeding gums
Painful chewing
Get Loose teeth
Email Sensitive teeth
Updates Gums that have pulled away from your teeth
Any change in the way your teeth "t together when you bite
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address:
Risk factors
Certain factors increase the risk for periodontal disease:
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Smoking
What's Submit Diabetes
this?
Poor oral hygiene
Stress
Heredity
Crooked teeth
Underlying immuno-de"ciencies—e.g., AIDS
Fillings that have become defective
Taking medications that cause dry mouth
Bridges that no longer "t properly
Female hormonal changes, such as with pregnancy or the use of oral
contraceptives

Prevention and treatment

Gingivitis can be controlled and treated with good oral hygiene and regular
professional cleaning. More severe forms of periodontal disease can also be treated
successfully but may require more extensive treatment. Such treatment might
include deep cleaning of the tooth root surfaces below the gums, medications
prescribed to take by mouth or placed directly under the gums, and sometimes
corrective surgery.

To help prevent or control periodontal diseases, it is important to:

1. Brush and !oss every day to remove the bacteria that cause gum disease.
2. See a dentist at least once a year for checkups, or more frequently if you have
any of the warning signs or risk factors mentioned above.

If you can’t a#ord dental care, you may be able to "nd help through the following
sources:

The Health Resources and Services Administration & supports a network of

“safety net” clinics for people who qualify for reduced-cost care, and many have
a dental clinic (toll free: 1-888-275-4772).
Most dental schools & have a clinic sta#ed by the professors and students,
where care is provided based on your ability to pay.
Your state dental organization & may be able to refer you to dentists in your
area who provide care at a reduced rate.

What is the CDC doing about periodontal

disease?
The CDC is currently working with key partner organizations such as the American
Academy of Periodontology and the American Dental Association to improve and
sustain surveillance of periodontal disease in the adult U.S. population. The e#orts
of the CDC include (1) developing measures for use in surveillance of periodontal
disease at the state and local levels, (2) improving the validity of prevalence
estimates derived from the NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination
Survey) by improving the accuracy of the clinical examination protocols used in this
national survey, and (3) developing simple measures for screening for periodontal
disease in clinical settings.

For additional background related to CDC activities, please click on the links listed:

Eke PI, Thornton-Evans G, Dye BA, Genco R. Advances in Surveillance

of Periodontitis: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Periodontal Disease Surveillance Project. J Periodontol 11 February
2012: 1–9. View full text & .

Eke PI, Page PC, Wei L, Thornton-Evans G, Genco RJ. Update of the
Case De"nitions for Population-Based Surveillance of Periodontitis. J
Periodontol 16 March 2012:1–9. View full text & .

Eke PI, Thornton-Evans G, Wei L, Borgnakke WS, Dye BA. Accuracy of

NHANES Periodontal Examination Protocols. J Dent Res 2010;89(11):
1208–1213. View abstract & .

Podcasts About Periodontal Disease and

Diabetes
Listen to Summary: Periodontal Disease and Diabetes Podcast. Provides valuable
information on the impact of periodontal disease and its link to diabetes (Length
1:36). View transcript.

Listen to Periodontal Disease and Diabetes Podcast. Informative interview of two

dental professionals about periodontal disease, diabetes complications, and the
in!uence of poor oral health on blood glucose control (Length 5:33). View transcript.

Additional Resources
Periodontal (Gum) Diseases: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment. [PDF–1.26 M] & .
National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research consumer brochure.
Bethesda, MD. Reprinted January 2006.

American Academy of Periodontology &

Journal articles on periodontal disease

Reference
1EkePI, Dye B, Wei L, Thornton-Evans G, Genco R. Prevalence of Periodontitis in
Adults in the United States: 2009 and 2010. J Dent Res. Published online 30 August
2012:1–7. View full text & .

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Page last reviewed: July 10, 2013

Content source: Division of Oral Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health
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