Periodontal (Gum) Disease
Periodontal disease can affect one tooth or many teeth. It begins when the bacteria in plaque (the sticky, colorless film that constantly forms on your teeth) causes the gums to become inflamed.
In the mildest form of the disease, gingivitis, the gums redden, swell and
bleed easily. There is usually little or no discomfort. Gingivitis is often
caused by inadequate oral hygiene. Gingivitis is reversible with professional
treatment and good oral home care. 
Untreated gingivitis can advance to periodontitis. With time, plaque can spread and grow below the gum line. Toxins produced by the bacteria in plaque irritate the gums. The toxins stimulate a chronic inflammatory response in which the body in essence turns on itself, and the tissues and bone that support the teeth are broken down and destroyed. Gums separate from the teeth, forming pockets (spaces between the teeth and gums) that become infected. As the disease progresses, the pockets deepen and more gum tissue and bone are destroyed. Often, this destructive process has very mild symptoms. Eventually, teeth can become loose and may have to be removed.
Types of Periodontal Disease There are many forms of periodontal disease. The most common ones include the following:
Gingivitis
Gingivitis is the mildest form of periodontal disease. It causes the
gums to become red, swollen, and bleed easily. There is usually little or
no discomfort
at this stage. Gingivitis is reversible with professional treatment and
good at home oral care.
Aggressive Periodontitis
A form of periodontitis that occurs in patients who are otherwise clinically
healthy. Common features include rapid attachment loss and bone destruction
and familial aggregation.
Chronic Periodontitis
A form of periodontal disease resulting in inflammation within the supporting
tissues of the teeth, progressive attachment and bone loss and is characterized
by pocket formation and/or recession of the gingiva. It is recognized as
the most frequently occurring form of periodontitis. It is prevalent in
adults, but can occur at any age. Progression of attachment loss usually
occurs slowly, but periods of rapid progression can occur.
Periodontitis as a Manifestation of Systemic Diseases
Periodontititis, often with onset at a young age, associated with one of
several systemic diseases, such as diabetes.
Necrotizing Periodontal Diseases
An infection characterized by necrosis of gingival tissues, periodontal
ligament and alveolar bone. These lesions are most commonly observed in
individuals with systemic conditions including, but not limited to, HIV
infection, malnutrition and immunosuppression.
Arestin™ (minocycline
HCl 1mg) microspheres is a new
treatment for chronic periodontitis, an infection of the gums, that can lead
to tooth loss and may be linked to other serious diseases such as cardiovascular
disease, osteoporosis and diabetes. Arestin uses new microsphere technology
to easily and effectively kill the germs that cause periodontal disease.
Arestin is the antibiotic and is administered locally, directly into
the infected pockets between your teeth. A dentist or dental hygienist
can administer Arestin after scaling and root planning, a common procedure
used to treat
