Periodontitis

Researchers increase the success rate of tooth implants

Elderly or people with osteoporosis, smokers, diabetics or people who have had cancer are sometimes not eligible to receive dental implants as their bones are unable to correctly integrate the new prostheses which replace ...

Dentistry created Apr 29, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Periodontitis: The underestimated danger

According to information from the World Health Organisation (WHO), periodontitis is one of the most frequent and underestimated common diseases worldwide. Although the loss of every second tooth is attributable ...

Dentistry created Apr 17, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Dental bib clips can harbor oral and skin bacteria even after disinfection

Researchers at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine and the Forsyth Institute published a study today that found that a significant proportion of dental bib clips harbored bacteria from the patient, dental clinician ...

Dentistry created Apr 02, 2013 | popularity 5 / 5 (2) | comments 0

The other fluoride: For millions with dry mouth, this cousin keeps decay at bay

Just 40 years ago, more than half of American kids had at least one untreated cavity. That statistic now stands at less than 25 percent, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Most kids today can ...

Dentistry created Mar 21, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Human microbe study provides insight into health, disease

Microbes from the human mouth are telling Oak Ridge National Laboratory scientists something about periodontitis and more after they cracked the genetic code of bacteria linked to the condition.

Medical research created Mar 18, 2013 | popularity 4.3 / 5 (3) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Literature review shows inflammation links obesity and gum disease

Blood on your toothbrush can be a warning sign of gum disease. And, if you are overweight, it can indicate other serious health issues, such as diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure.

Dentistry created Mar 12, 2013 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

Tooth loss associated with cardiovascular risk factors in patients with chronic heart disease

Poor dental health, especially tooth loss, is associated with several established cardiovascular risk factors, including diabetes, smoking, blood pressure, obesity and other novel risk factors, according to research being ...

Cardiology created Mar 07, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Genes that control nervous system development play a role in gum disease

(Medical Xpress)—By simultaneously investigating millions of gene variants in more than 5,000 individuals, researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill reveal that genes that are responsible for nervous ...

Genetics created Mar 05, 2013 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Postmenopausal women who smoked are more likely to lose teeth due to periodontal disease

Postmenopausal women who have smoked are at much higher risk of losing their teeth than women who never smoked, according to a new study published and featured on the cover of the Journal of the American Dental Association by res ...

Dentistry created Mar 01, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Researchers find multiple tests needed to detect infection in low birth-weight newborns

New research by Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine and Yale University School of Medicine finds that cultures commonly used to detect bacterial infections in low birth-weight newborns with early onset ...

Pediatrics created Feb 20, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Hope for millions of Germans suffering from periodontitis

Twelve million Germans suffer from periodontitis, an inflammation that can lead to the loss of teeth if left untreated. Bleeding gums during brushing or when biting into an apple could be an indication of ...

Dentistry created Feb 01, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Some health benefits of berries may not make it past your mouth

Research has suggested that compounds that give colorful fruits their rich hues, especially berries, promote health and might even prevent cancer. But for the first time, scientists have exposed extracts from numerous berries ...

Health created Jan 28, 2013 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

Beta-catenin molecule is required for tooth root formation

Today, the International and American Associations for Dental Research (IADR/AADR) published a paper titled "ß-catenin is Required in Odontoblasts for Tooth Root Formation." The paper, written by lead authors Tak-Heun Kim ...

Dentistry created Jan 23, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Master switch discovery could provide road map for treatment of arthritis and other inflammatory diseases

(Medical Xpress)—Scientists trying to create drugs to treat chronic inflammation in diseases like arthritis now have a new culprit known MMP2. New University of British Columbia research shows that this enzyme works as ...

Inflammatory disorders created Jan 23, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Scientists increase the success rate of tooth implants

Elderly or people with osteoporosis, smokers, diabetics or people who have had cancer are sometimes not eligible to receive dental implants as their bones are unable to correctly integrate the new prostheses ...

Medical research created Jan 21, 2013 | popularity 3 / 5 (1) | comments 0


Periodontitis or pyorrhea is a set of inflammatory diseases affecting the periodontium, i.e., the tissues that surround and support the teeth. Periodontitis involves progressive loss of the alveolar bone around the teeth, and if left untreated, can lead to the loosening and subsequent loss of teeth. Periodontitis is caused by microorganisms that adhere to and grow on the tooth's surfaces, along with an overly aggressive immune response against these microorganisms. A diagnosis of periodontitis is established by inspecting the soft gum tissues around the teeth with a probe (i.e. a clinical exam) and by evaluating the patient's x-ray films (i.e. a radiographic exam), to determine the amount of bone loss around the teeth. Specialists in the treatment of periodontitis are periodontists; their field is known as "periodontology" or "periodontics".

The word "periodontitis" comes from peri ("around"), odont ("tooth") and -itis ("inflammation").

This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.

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