Periodontal (Gum) disease is insidious .It is an infection of the gums that starts out as plaque, an opaque film on the teeth that hardens to from tartar. As tartar accumulates , it harbors bacteria that attack the soft tissue around the gums. This is the early stage of gum disease know as Gingivitis.
Left untreated, Gingivitis become periodontitis which ultimately destroys the tissue surrounding your teeth and the bone that holds your teeth in place. Except for bad breath and gums that bleed ,there are very few early warning signals. The disease advances silently ,often without pain, and before you know it, you are losing your teeth and you don’t know why.