Periodontal disease or gum disease is a progressive, painless infection of the gums leading to loss of gums and bone around the teeth. Periodontal disease can be successfully treated or if caught later maintained and halted to extend the life of your teeth and gums. Untreated periodontal disease will cause tooth loss and contribute to other health problems such as heart disease, diabetes and low birth-weight preterm babies.

If you have bleeding when brushing or flossing, then you have some type of gum disease, bleeding is a sign of infection, though the severity would need to be determined by a your hygienist.

Once gum disease starts, there are detectable changes in the gums that can be measured and assessed. Your Dentist or Hygienist standardly uses "pocket depth" measurements, and presence or absence of bleeding from a pocket, to record these changes. A small measuring probe is gently placed between the gum and the tooth to obtain this information. Once a periodontal maintenance program has been decided between you and your hygienist, follow up re-evaluation appointments will be required to measure the progress of the treatment. If the treatments are successful, then you will most likely need to come less and less, but follow up probing and re-evaluation appointments appointments are still recommended to make sure things are stable.

In healthy gums, there is a normal crevice around each tooth, known as a "sulcus". It measures between 1mm to 3mm in depth and does not bleed on probing. There is no tartar build up on the tooth.	When gum disease starts, the gums swell and bleed easily. This will create a "pocket" of 3mm to 5mm, that bleeds on probing. There is some tartar build-up present.	Once gum disease progresses to moderate and severe levels, the pocket base will be damaged with bone loss, and the "pocket" gets much deeper (6mm and greater) with bleeding on probing. There is usually much tartar build-up below the gum.