47.2% of adults aged 30 years and older have some form of periodontal disease. Periodontal disease increases with age, 70.1% of adults 65 years and older have periodontal disease.
The prevalence of periodontal (gum) disease continues to be an important public health problem in the United States as 2 in 5 adults are affected by some form of this disease. Significant disparities continue to affect some population groups and smoking remains a major risk factor for periodontitis.
Periodontitis (per-e-o-don-TIE-tis), also called gum disease, is a serious gum infection that damages the soft tissue around teeth. Without treatment, periodontitis can destroy the bone that supports your teeth. This can cause teeth to loosen or lead to tooth loss. Periodontitis is common but can usually be prevented.
Also, make sure to see your dentist for routine checkups. Almost half, 47.2%, of all adults aged 30 years and older have some form of gum disease. Gum disease increases with age. 70.1% of adults 65 years and older have periodontal disease.
Periodontitis affects more than 47% of adults over age 30 in the U.S. That number jumps to around 70% for adults 65 years and over.
Periodontal disease is not a life-threatening condition.
While periodontitis is more common in older adults, even younger people can have it. You don't have to panic if your gums bleed, but it's something to feel concerned about. In case you do notice signs of periodontal disease, it's best to get in touch with your dentist as soon as possible.
Gum disease is very common in Australia, with 3 in every 10 adults having moderate to severe gum disease (periodontitis).
This figure shows the proportion of adults aged 15 years and over with periodontitis, by selected characteristics. National data is presented for 2004–06 and 2017–18. In Australia, 30.1% of adults aged 15 years and over had periodontitis in 2017–18.
With gum disease, you won't keep your teeth for long. In fact, unlike tooth decay which impacts your smile one tooth at a time, periodontitis can cause you to lose multiple, if not all, teeth at once. Gum disease starts small as a mild form called gingivitis.
Periodontal disease causes tooth loss if not treated early, and advanced periodontitis can lead to a decline in chewing ability, word pronunciation, and aesthetic function.
Slight Periodontal Disease
During the early gingivitis stages, gum inflammation can occur in as little as five days. Within two to three weeks, the signs of generalized gingivitis become more noticeable. If you still leave this untreated, it would progress to slight periodontal disease.
Advanced Gum Disease (Periodontitis) Can't Be Reversed
Once gum disease progresses past gingivitis, the infection is permanent.
Smoking/Tobacco Use
Studies have shown that tobacco use may be one of the most significant risk factors in the development and progression of periodontal disease.
Periodontal disease does not happen overnight but over time. There are four periodontal disease stages and they develop at different times. It's important to note each one so you can receive proper treatment.
Up to 30% of the population may have some genetic susceptibility to periodontal disease. For example, some people with severe periodontal disease have genetic factors that affect the immune factor interleukin-1 (IL-1), a cytokine involved in the inflammatory response.
Gum disease isn't curable, but it's manageable with appropriate treatment. You can't cure it because once you lose structural support around your teeth, you don't usually get all of it back. However, periodontal treatment can reduce infection and rebuild your bone and tissue to some degree.
Periodontal disease is a common infection of the tissues which keep your teeth in place.
Thankfully, it is never too late to get treatment for gum disease. Your specialized hygienic can complete a full diagnosis to help you determine what stage your gum disease has advanced to. Several treatment solutions may be offered depending on the severity of your condition.
And though periodontitis is common, it is preventable with the right oral hygiene and regular dental checkups. However, if you do develop periodontitis, it is treatable, and periodontal treatments can leave you with healthy gums, which means healthy teeth.
Mild gum disease can be controlled and treated with good oral hygiene and regular professional cleaning. More severe forms can also be treated successfully with consultation and treatment. Nearly half (46%) of all adults aged 30 years or older show signs of gum disease; severe gum disease affects about 9% of adults.
Although gum disease is terribly pervasive, it's also preventable. Conservative estimates report that up to 80% of people unknowingly have some amount of chronic gum disease. What's worse is that this disease is responsible for up to 70% of adult tooth loss.
The simple answer is, no. If your gums are damaged by, for example periodontitis, the most severe form of gum disease, it's not possible for receding gums to grow back. However, even though receding gums can't be reversed there are treatments that can help to stop the problem from getting worse.
Periodontitis can't be reversed, only slowed down, while gingivitis can be reversed. This is why it's important to catch it in its early stages and prevent it from moving on to periodontitis.
However, if you have gum disease, your gums can recede quite quickly. In some cases, they may even recede within a matter of weeks or months. Of course, the rate at which your gums recede also depends on your age. As we age, our gums naturally begin to recede.