When most of us think about periodontal (gum) disease, we probably first think of gingivitis or tooth decay. This is most likely due to the large number of toothpaste companies that promote products that help fight "plaque and gingivitis". And honestly, if gum disease never got any worse than gingivitis, it probably would not be even anything to talk about. After all, the symptoms of gingivitis are not really painful but do include: inflamed or reddened gums and maybe some bleeding when we brush or eat something hard like an apple. However, it doesn't really hurt (though some do complain of mild discomfort in their gums) so most of us don't take it or periodontal disease seriously.
