Periodontal Disease | Oral Health Conditions - CDC

Periodontal diseases are mainly the result of infections and inflammation of the gums and bone that surround and support the teeth. In its early stage, ... Skipdirectlytositecontent Skipdirectlytopageoptions SkipdirectlytoA-Zlink OralHealth SectionNavigation CDCHome Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate PeriodontalDisease Minus RelatedPages OnThisPage Whatisperiodontaldisease?CausesWarningsignsRiskfactorsPreventionandtreatment WhatistheCDCdoingaboutperiodontaldisease?PodcastsAboutPeriodontalDiseaseandDiabetesAdditionalResourcesReference Whatisperiodontaldisease? Periodontaldiseasesaremainlytheresultofinfectionsandinflammationofthegumsandbonethatsurroundandsupporttheteeth.Initsearlystage,calledgingivitis,thegumscanbecomeswollenandred,andtheymaybleed.Initsmoreseriousform,calledperiodontitis,thegumscanpullawayfromthetooth,bonecanbelost,andtheteethmayloosenorevenfallout.Periodontaldiseaseismostlyseeninadults.Periodontaldiseaseandtoothdecayarethetwobiggestthreatstodentalhealth. ArecentCDCreport1providesthefollowingdatarelatedtoprevalenceofperiodontitisintheU.S.: 47.2%ofadultsaged30yearsandolderhavesomeformofperiodontaldisease. Periodontaldiseaseincreaseswithage,70.1%ofadults65yearsandolderhaveperiodontaldisease. Thisconditionismorecommoninmenthanwomen(56.4%vs38.4%),thoselivingbelowthefederalpovertylevel(65.4%),thosewithlessthanahighschooleducation(66.9%),andcurrentsmokers(64.2%) Causes Bacteriainthemouthinfecttissuesurroundingthetooth,causinginflammationaroundthetoothleadingtoperiodontaldisease.Whenbacteriastayontheteethlongenough,theyformafilmcalledplaque,whicheventuallyhardenstotartar,alsocalledcalculus.Tartarbuild-upcanspreadbelowthegumline,whichmakestheteethhardertoclean.Then,onlyadentalhealthprofessionalcanremovethetartarandstoptheperiodontaldiseaseprocess. Warningsigns Thefollowingarewarningsignsofperiodontaldisease: Badbreathorbadtastethatwon’tgoaway Redorswollengums Tenderorbleedinggums Painfulchewing Looseteeth Sensitiveteeth Gumsthathavepulledawayfromyourteeth Anychangeinthewayyourteethfittogetherwhenyoubite Anychangeinthefitofpartialdentures Riskfactors Certainfactorsincreasetheriskforperiodontaldisease: Smoking Diabetes Poororalhygiene Stress Heredity Crookedteeth Underlyingimmuno-deficiencies—e.g.,AIDS Fillingsthathavebecomedefective Takingmedicationsthatcausedrymouth Bridgesthatnolongerfitproperly Femalehormonalchanges,suchaswithpregnancyortheuseoforalcontraceptives Preventionandtreatment Gingivitiscanbecontrolledandtreatedwithgoodoralhygieneandregularprofessionalcleaning.Moresevereformsofperiodontaldiseasecanalsobetreatedsuccessfullybutmayrequiremoreextensivetreatment.Suchtreatmentmightincludedeepcleaningofthetoothrootsurfacesbelowthegums,medicationsprescribedtotakebymouthorplaceddirectlyunderthegums,andsometimescorrectivesurgery. Tohelppreventorcontrolperiodontaldiseases,itisimportantto: Brushandflosseverydaytoremovethebacteriathatcausegumdisease. Seeadentistatleastonceayearforcheckups,ormorefrequentlyifyouhaveanyofthewarningsignsorriskfactorsmentionedabove. Ifyoucan’tafforddentalcare,youmaybeabletofindhelpthroughthefollowingsources: TheHealthResourcesandServicesAdministrationexternaliconsupportsanetworkof“safetynet”clinicsforpeoplewhoqualifyforreduced-costcare,andmanyhaveadentalclinic(tollfree:1-888-275-4772). Mostdentalschoolsexternaliconhaveaclinicstaffedbytheprofessorsandstudents,wherecareisprovidedbasedonyourabilitytopay. Yourstatedentalorganizationexternaliconmaybeabletoreferyoutodentistsinyourareawhoprovidecareatareducedrate. WhatistheCDCdoingaboutperiodontaldisease? TheCDCiscurrentlyworkingwithkeypartnerorganizationssuchastheAmericanAcademyofPeriodontologyandtheAmericanDentalAssociationtoimproveandsustainsurveillanceofperiodontaldiseaseintheadultU.S.population.TheeffortsoftheCDCinclude(1)developingmeasuresforuseinsurveillanceofperiodontaldiseaseatthestateandlocallevels,(2)improvingthevalidityofprevalenceestimatesderivedfromtheNHANES(NationalHealthandNutritionExaminationSurvey)byimprovingtheaccuracyoftheclinicalexaminationprotocolsusedinthisnationalsurvey,and(3)developingsimplemeasuresforscreeningforperiodontaldiseaseinclinicalsettings. ForadditionalbackgroundrelatedtoCDCactivities,pleaseclickonthelinkslisted: EkePI,Thornton-EvansG,DyeBA,GencoR.AdvancesinSurveillanceofPeriodontitis:TheCentersforDiseaseControlandPreventionPeriodontalDiseaseSurveillanceProject.JPeriodontol11February2012:1–9.Viewfulltextexternalicon. EkePI,PagePC,WeiL,Thornton-EvansG,GencoRJ.UpdateoftheCaseDefinitionsforPopulation-BasedSurveillanceofPeriodontitis.JPeriodontol16March2012:1–9.Viewfulltextexternalicon. EkePI,Thornton-EvansG,WeiL,BorgnakkeWS,DyeBA.AccuracyofNHANESPeriodontalExaminationProtocols.JDentRes2010;89(11):1208–1213.Viewabstractexternalicon. PodcastsAboutPeriodontalDiseaseandDiabetes ListentoSummary:PeriodontalDiseaseandDiabetesPodcast.Providesvaluableinformationontheimpactofperiodontaldiseaseanditslinktodiabetes(Length1:36).Viewtranscript. ListentoPeriodontalDiseaseandDiabetesPodcast.Informativeinterviewoftwodentalprofessionalsaboutperiodontaldisease,diabetescomplications,andtheinfluenceofpoororalhealthonbloodglucosecontrol(Length5:33).Viewtranscript. AdditionalResources Periodontal(Gum)Diseases:Causes,SymptomsandTreatment.[PDF–1.26M]externalicon.NationalInstituteofDentalandCraniofacialResearchconsumerbrochure.Bethesda,MD.ReprintedJanuary2006. AmericanAcademyofPeriodontologyexternalicon Journalarticlesonperiodontaldisease Reference 1EkePI,DyeB,WeiL,Thornton-EvansG,GencoR.PrevalenceofPeriodontitisinAdultsintheUnitedStates:2009and2010.JDentRes.Publishedonline30August2012:1–7.Viewfulltextexternalicon.  TopofPage Pagelastreviewed:July10,2013 Contentsource: DivisionofOralHealth,NationalCenterforChronicDiseasePreventionandHealthPromotion homeOralHealthhome BasicsofOralHealthplusicon Children’sOralHealth AdultOralHealthplusicon OralHealthTips OlderAdultOralHealth DisparitiesinOralHealth OralHealthConditionsplusicon PeriodontalDisease OralHealthFastFactsplusicon Cavities CommunityWaterFluoridation DentalSealants GumDisease HPVandOralCancer Pregnancy ReturnonInvestment TobaccoUse ToothLoss OralHealthInfographicsplusicon CommunityWaterFluoridation DentalSealants DentalCareisSafeandImportantDuringPregnancy OlderAdultsandToothLossbySmokingStatus ReturnonInvestment:HealthcareSystemSavings TotalToothLossandChronicDiseases UntreatedCavitiesinAdults CommunityWaterFluoridationplusicon WaterFluoridationBasicsplusicon Over75YearsofCommunityWaterFluoridation CostSavingsofCommunityWaterFluoridation OtherFluorideProducts TimelineforCommunityWaterFluoridation WaterFluoridationGuidelines&Recommendationsplusicon SurgeonsGeneral’sStatementsonCommunityWaterFluoridation ScientificReviewsandReports:AssessingtheEvidence StatementontheEvidenceSupportingtheSafetyandEffectivenessofCommunityWaterFluoridation WaterFluoridationData&Statisticsplusicon FluoridationStatistics CalculatingFluoridationStatistics EstimatingCommunityWaterSystemPopulations FluoridationGrowth WaterFluoridationPromotionalResourcesplusicon Infographic:CommunitiesBenefitfromWaterFluoridation Infographic:HowFluorideWorks AnimatedGraphic:HowFluorideWorks MessagesforSocialMedia:HowFluorideWorks FactSheet:CommunityWaterFluoridation Infographic:Smile,BecauseYouCan Infographic:WaterwithFluorideBuildsaFoundationforHealthyTeeth Infographic:WaterwithFluorideBuildsaFoundationforHealthyTeeth(alternative) Infographic:MeetJohn&Joe CommunityWaterFluoridationFAQsplusicon AboutFluoride CommunityWaterFluoridation BottledWater PrivateWells InfantFormula Fluorosis PublicHealthServiceRecommendation FluoridationStatistics—PopulationMethodologyChanges WaterOperators&Engineersplusicon WaterFluoridationAdditives ShortagesofFluoridationAdditives DrinkingWaterPipeSystems CDC-SponsoredWaterFluoridationTraining LinkstoOtherOrganizations DentalSealantsplusicon DentalSealantFAQs SchoolSealantProgramsplusicon ImplementationofSchoolSealantPrograms SEALS InfectionPrevention&ControlinDentalSettingsplusicon SummaryofInfectionPreventionPracticesinDentalSettingsplusicon NotesToReader,Suggestedcitation,andIntroduction Objectives AdministrativeMeasuresandInfectionPreventionEducationTraining DentalHealthCarePersonnelSafetyandProgramEvaluation StandardPrecautions DentalUnitWaterQuality RiskAssessment,Conclusions,andSourceDocuments AppendixA:InfectionPreventionChecklist AppendixA:InfectionPreventionChecklistSectionII:DirectObservationofPersonnelandPatient-CarePractices AppendixB:RelevantRecommendationsPublishedbyCDCsince2003 AppendixC:SelectedReferencesandAdditionalResourcesbyTopicArea CDCDentalCheckMobileApp FrequentlyAskedQuestionsplusicon AbouttheCDCGuidelinesforInfectionControlinDentalHealthCareSettings—2003 AntibioticStewardship BloodbornePathogens&Aerosols Cleaning&DisinfectingEnvironmentalSurfaces ContactDermatitis&LatexAllergy DentalHandpiecesandOtherDevicesAttachedtoAirandWaterlines DentalUnitWaterQuality EducationandTraining ExtractedTeeth HandHygiene InfectionControlBreaches Measles OccupationalExposuretoBlood OralSurgicalProcedures PersonalProtectiveEquipment RespiratoryHygiene/CoughEtiquette SafeInjectionPractices SalivaEjector&Backflow ServiceAnimalsinDentalHealthCareSettings Single-Use(Disposable)Devices Sterilization Sterilization:Cleaning Sterilization:Monitoring Sterilization:Packaging&Storage Use&HandlingofToothbrushes TrainingCoursesplusicon Foundations:BuildingtheSafestDentalVisit BasicExpectationsforSafeCare ReprocessingDentalHandpieces SelectedReferencesforInfectionPrevention&ControlbyTopicArea ScreeningandEvaluatingSaferDentalDevicesplusicon ScreeningForm DeviceEvaluationForm Glossary OralHealthDataToolsplusicon OralHealthData MyWater’sFluoride SEALS WaterFluoridationReportingSystemplusicon WaterFluoridationReportingSystemDataStreamInfographic OralHealthProgramsplusicon CDC-FundedPrograms BasicStrategiesforCollectiveImpact ImplementationofEvidence-BasedPreventiveInterventionsplusicon School-BasedandSchool-LinkedDentalSealantPrograms CoordinateCommunityWaterFluoridationPrograms TargetedClinicalPreventiveServices&HealthSystemsChanges OralHealthProgramPlans Research&Publicationsplusicon OralHealthSurveillanceReport,2019plusicon Introduction AcknowledgementsandCitations ListofTables Methods DentalCariesinPrimaryTeeth DentalCariesinPermanentTeethofChildrenandAdolescents DentalSealants DentalCariesAmongAdultsandOlderAdults EdentulismandToothRetention Summary ConclusionandComment References Infographics JournalArticles OralHealthFeaturesplusicon Foundations:ASaferDentalVisit CDCResidencyProgramStrengthensDentalPublicHealthWorkforce NewFluorideTechnologySupportsOralHealth SeptemberisDentalInfectionControlAwarenessMonth(DICAM) CDCDentalCheck Children’sDentalHealth PregnancyandOralHealth DentalProfessionals:HelpYourPatientsQuitTobaccoProducts FederalAgencyReportsonOralHealthplusicon OralHealthinAmerica:AdvancesandChallenges OralHealthInAmerica:SummaryoftheSurgeonGeneral’sReport CDCDentalPublicHealthResidencyProgramplusicon ResidentSpotlight LectureSeries HowtoApplytotheCDCDentalPublicHealthResidencyProgram RequirementsChecklistandApplicationForm[PDF–2MB] ZipFileInstructions[PDF–482KB] FrequentlyAskedQuestions AbouttheDivisionofOralHealthplusicon StayConnected HealthyPeople2030:OralHealthObjectives HealthyPeople2020:OralHealthObjectives SiteMap Facebook 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