1: Gingivitis
As it is the earliest stage of gum disease, it is seldomly associated with pain and shows minor symptoms. The gums may appear swollen, red, or may experience bleeding. However, through proper practices, it can be reduced. If symptoms persist, this leads to periodontitis.
2: Early-Moderate Periodontitis
The major difference from gingivitis is that the inflammation that initially affected just the gingial tissues also affects deeper supporting structures, such as the surrounding bone. This may result in damage to the periodontal ligament, which secures each individual tooth in its socket and keeps the gingival tightly surrounding the exterior. When damage occurs, the gums begin to recede, causing problems such as excessive bleeding around the gumline.
3. Advanced Periodontitis
As the damage to the gingival tissues continues, the concentration of bacteria continues to increase. As the infection worsens, many major problems result including extreme pain, loss of teeth as they no longer are able to remain in sockets and loss of bone in the jaw (7). In the long-term, this can lead to many other complications including:
- Diabetes
- Increased risk of heart disease
- Complications during pregnancy
- Pneumonia and other lung infections (as bacteria in the mouth are inhaled into the lung (7).
