Periodontal disease is the name for bacterial infections of the gums in the mouth. In most cases this disease is linked to poor oral hygiene. Some people however can have a genetic pre-disposition to the disease. The disease once initiated can progress more rapidly in people who have diabetes, especially if the diabetes is poorly controlled. Smoking is a strong risk factor for periodontal disease. Infection is also the title of an episode of the television series Babylon 5; see Infection (Babylon 5). ... Categories: Dentistry | Mouth ... Sagittal section of nose mouth, pharynx, and larynx. ... This article is about the disease that features high blood sugar. ...

Symptoms

• redness or bleeding of gums while brushing teeth or biting into hard food (e.g. apples)
• halitosis or bad breath
• persistant bad taste in the mouth
• shaky teeth in later stages
• recession of gums resulting in apparent lengthening of teeth
• pockets between the teeth and the gums

Treatment Types of teeth Molars are used for grinding up foods Carnassials are used for slicing food. ... Halitosis (medical term, first coined by the Listerine company in 1921), oral malodour (scientific term), breath odour, or most commonly bad breath are terms used to describe noticeably unpleasant odours exhaled in breathing. ...

• regular brushing and either flossing or using the toothpick-like dental stick.
• treatment by a periodontist, which includes professional cleaning and may include drugs, and/or surgery

Prevention Three toothbrushes The toothbrush is a brush used to clean teeth. ... Dental floss is a thin, nylon string that is used to remove food and plaque from the teeth. ... Periodontics is the study of clinical aspects of the supporting structures of the teeth, including the gingiva, alveolar (jaw) bone, root cementum, and the periodontal ligament in health and disease. ... A medication is a licenced drug taken to cure or reduce symptoms of an illness or medical condition. ... A typical modern surgery operation For other meanings of the word, see Surgery (disambiguation) Surgery (from the Greek cheirourgia meaning hand work) is the medical specialty that treats diseases or injuries by operative manual and instrumental treatment. ...

• brushing properly on a regular basis (2-3 times a day)
• flossing daily, or using the toothpick-like dental stick
• regular dental checkups and professional teeth cleaning as required

See also Three toothbrushes The toothbrush is a brush used to clean teeth. ... Dental floss is a thin, nylon string that is used to remove food and plaque from the teeth. ...

• Actinomyces naeslundii (a kind of bacteria)

Disease progression and predisposition Actinomyces naeslundii are Gram positive rod shaped bacteria that occupy the oral cavity. ...

• According to the Sri Lanka Tea Labourer study, on the absence of any oral hygiene activity, approximately 10% will suffer from severe periodontal disease with rapid loss of attachment(>2mm/yr). 80% will suffer from moderate loss (1-2 mm/year) and the remaining 10% will not suffer any.

External links

1. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001059.htm (Medical Encyclopedia, NIH)
2. http://www.mayoclinic.com/invoke.cfm?id=DS00369 (Mayo Clinic)
3. http://www.collagenex.com/core_periodontal.asp