answersLogoWhite

0

Is Gingivitis related to periodontal disease?

Updated: 9/7/2023
User Avatar

GaleEncyofMedicine

Lvl 1
13y ago

Best Answer

I BELIEVE THAT I READ SOMEWHERE that if you have an infection in your mouth, from either infected teeth or gums you have to be careful at the dentist. If a dentist starts digging in your mouth to remove an infected tooth or cut infected gums, there is a slight risk that the infection can get stirred up and enter your bloodstream...If that happens, I do believe that the infection can travel to your heart and trigger a heart attack. I believe that this is the main reason a dentist will give you prophylactic (preventive) antibiotic BEFORE he pulls infected teeth and other work on infected gums. If I am wrong, maybe another POSTER can give us a better answer, and we BOTH can learn something!!!.....<<>> ADR0760 is absolutely correct. Diseased gums release high levels of endotoxins into the blood stream which are harmful to other organs in the body. I have included a link on this page, 'Periodontal Disease', which details this problem. The mouth is one of the main entrance way of bacteria into the human body. While many of them are harmless, some bacteria can cause inflammation in many organs, including the heart, the liver, the pancreas, etc.

Gum disease is caused by micro-organisms that are harvested in the gums. If the harmful bacteria are not removed and the gum disease cured, it can reach other organs in the body and be fatal. Most of the other responses are basically correct, but I am a stickler for details and so let me just clarify a few things. Most of the time, when a person is required to take prophylactic antibiotics prior to a dental appointment this is because they have an abnormal heart condition, usually a congenital heart defect (present at birth) such as a heart murmur, or a damaged or artificial heart valve. The prophylactic antibiotic is not to prevent against cardiac arrest, it is to prevent against bacterial endocarditis, which is a rare but life threatening infection of the heart (actually the space around the heart I think?). What most patients don't understand (and even some physicians) is that if prophylactic antibiotics are needed, they are needed for EVERY dental procedure, not just extractions. Yes, that includes cleanings. In fact, your dental cleaning probably causes more bleeding than any other procedure except an extraction. Now, there is also a separate link between periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease (which could lead to cardiac arrest). This has to do with the chronic infection present in your mouth when you have periodontal disease. You've got this constant infection and so there is constantly a release of chemical markers of inflammation into your system and in your blood stream, one of the key ones being named C-Reactive protein....now I can't remember the exact link but people with perio and people with cardiovascular disease both have very high circulating levels of C-Reactive Protein and for reasons beyond my comprehension this complicates or otherwise aggravates cardiovascular disease. Interestingly enough there are also links between periodontal disease and pre-term low birth weight babies, osteoporosis, respiratory diseases and pancreatic cancer in men over age 50. There is also a VERY strong and well documented link between periodontal disease and Diabetes, not only does diabetes make perio worse (which we have known for years and years) but recently we have discovered the uncontrolled perio can also make the diabetes worse and harder to control, so the 2 are linked VERY closely.

User Avatar

Wiki User

16y ago
This answer is:
User Avatar
More answers
User Avatar

Wiki User

11y ago

Periodontal disease is caused by a number of factors but the main cause is poor oral hygiene. Bacteria in plaque that is not brushed away or cleaned from in between the teeth cause damage to the gums and the supporting structures which include the ligaments and bone that line each tooth and support the teeth. As the levels of bone are destroyed by the toxins in plaque bacteria the bone is lost and starts to shrink back during this process the gums can remain inflammed which creates a pocket between the bone levels and the gum where even more bacteria along with calculus form under the gums form. If left untreated teeth become very loose pus may exude from certain areas and the patient may have bad breath. Factors such as smoking, genetics and diabetes all play various roles in periodontal disease but the main cause is inadequate cleaning. See a hygienist or dentist for proper oral hygiene instruction and examination of the gums at regular intervals.

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

11y ago

The jury is still out on this question. Some studies have suggested there is a link between periodontal disease and heart disease, while other studies have found no such link. Certainly, there is no evidence at this time (2013) that periodontal disease causes Heart disease. And there is no evidence that controlling periodontal disease reduces one's risk for heart disease.

It is possible that concurrent perio and heart disease is simply co-incidental. Both have similar components, inflammation being one.

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

13y ago

Gingivitis is an early form of periodontal disease

This answer is:
User Avatar

Add your answer:

Earn +20 pts
Q: Is Gingivitis related to periodontal disease?
Write your answer...
Submit
Still have questions?
magnify glass
imp
Related questions

Which condition is the earliest stage of periodontal disease and only affects the gums?

Stage I periodontal disease.


Gingivitis that is not treated may lead to?

Periodontal disease.


What is the infection of the gums called?

Gingivitis Periodontal disease


How many kinds of periodontal disease are there?

Several distinct forms of periodontal disease are known. These are gingivitis, acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis, adult periodontitis, and localized juvenile periodontitis


What kind of diseases are associated with bleeding gums?

Gingivitis is the mildest form of periodontal (gum) disease. (see perio.org)


What happens if you dont care of gingivitis?

If you don't treat the early stages of periodontal disease, often called gingivitis, it can lead to full blown periodontal disease. Periodontal disease, itself, can cause tooth decay, tooth loss, and eventually cause for the need of dentures.


What is the most common disease in America?

Gingivitis > leading to Periodontal Disease - is the most common disease in the world.Most people don't know they have it.Read more: How_common_is_gingivitis


Is gum disease and gingivitis related?

Gingivitis is the medical term meaning inflammation of the gums. Gingivitis is a common finding in many types of gum disease.


When does gingivitis become periodontal disease?

Gingivitis is distinguished from periodontal disease (periodontitis) by the lack of periodontal attachment loss (PAL). PAL is determined by measuring the depth of the space between the tooth and gum (sulcus) with a dental probe, and by measuring the distance from the depth of the sulcus to the cemento-enamel junction, the point dividing the clinical crown from the root of the tooth. A probe depth of 3mm or less is typically considered to be normal. The deeper the depth, the more advanced the periodontitis. Gingivitis is simply inflamed gums with no loss of periodontal attachment. Once there is measurable loss of attachment, it is called periodontitis.


Is gingivitis deadly?

Gingivitis, also generally called gum disease or periodontal disease, describes the events that begin with bacterial growth in your mouth &amp; may end, if not properly treated, with tooth loss due to destruction of the tissue that surrounds your teeth.


Can a theeth x ray tell your dentist that you smoke?

Technically, no x-ray of the teeth can tell your dentist if you smoke or not. But... X-rays will show signs of bone loss which is most likely due to periodontal disease. Periodontal disease has two types; gingivitis and periodontitis. Gingivitis is the inflammation of the gums and is reversible with professional dental care and improved dental hygiene. Periodontitis is inflammation of the gums that results in loss of the bone that supports the teeth and is only remedied by professional dental care. Periodontal disease has long been associated with smoking, meaning people who smoke are more likely to have or develop periodontal disease. Because you smoke doesn't necessarily mean that you HAVE periodontal disease; smoking has been shown to increase the severity and speed of onset of periodontal disease.


What is the most non contagious disease in the world?

Tooth decay The most common noncontagious disease is periodontal disease, such as gingivitis or inflammation of the gums. Gum disease is the most common disease in the world, and poor oral health is generally recognised as an indicator of social deprivation.