Gum disease is a simple way of naming the most common disease affecting mankind3. It can happen to anyone. There are two main types of gum disease: gingivitis and periodontitis.

 

Gingivitis is the milder form of gum disease. It is limited to the gum margins. Damage caused by gingivitis is reversible.

Periodontitis is the more severe form of gum disease. It goes deeper into the gums to affect the bone around the tooth. Damage due to periodontitis is irreversible and if not treated early enough will ultimately lead to tooth loss. While popular culture has placed gum disease as the most common disease affecting humans, scientific studies have placed severe periodontitis as the 6th most prevalent disease in the world4!