Interactive gum disease assessment
Walk through the same questions a dentist asks during a periodontal exam, bleeding, recession, mobility, bone loss on X-ray, risk factors. We’ll compare your answers to the five AAP stages of gum disease and tell you when to be seen.
Not a diagnosis. Only a dentist can stage gum disease using probing depths, bone levels on X-ray, and a clinical exam. If you have pain, pus, loose teeth, or facial swelling, call (480) 530-3663 now.
Reference
The 2018 AAP classification replaces "mild/moderate/severe" with four numbered stages plus gingivitis. Each stage is defined by clinical attachment loss, bone levels on X-ray, and tooth mobility. The stage-defining signs are on the left; the description and standard treatment are on the right.
Stage-defining signs
Inflammation limited to the gum tissue with no damage to the underlying bone. Fully reversible with a professional cleaning and improved home care. The most common form of gum disease.
Treated with Professional cleaning and improved home care →
Stage-defining signs
Mild but measurable bone loss (1 to 2 mm attachment loss). Not reversible, but highly controllable with scaling and root planing followed by regular maintenance.
Treated with Scaling and root planing →
Stage-defining signs
Moderate bone and attachment loss (3 to 4 mm). Requires deeper cleaning (scaling and root planing) and close monitoring. Without treatment, progression to Stage III is likely.
Treated with Deep cleaning and periodontal maintenance →
Stage-defining signs
Severe bone loss (5 mm or more) with tooth mobility and potential tooth loss. Requires active periodontal therapy, often including surgical intervention. Tooth preservation is the goal, but some teeth may not be salvageable.
Treated with Periodontal surgery and osseous therapy →
Stage-defining signs
The most advanced stage: extensive bone loss with masticatory dysfunction (difficulty chewing). Full-mouth rehabilitation combining periodontal surgery, implants, and prosthetic reconstruction is often required.
Treated with Full-mouth periodontal rehabilitation →
No, healthy gums do not bleed with gentle brushing. Bleeding is the earliest sign of gingivitis, the reversible form of gum disease caused by bacterial plaque at the gumline. With a professional cleaning and consistent daily brushing and flossing, gingivitis typically resolves within two weeks. If bleeding persists after improving home care, see a dentist: the underlying cause may be more than gingivitis.
Gingivitis is inflammation of the gums only, the supporting bone is intact and the disease is fully reversible. Periodontitis means the infection has destroyed some of the bone and ligament holding the tooth in. That bone loss cannot be regenerated without treatment, though the disease can be stabilized and controlled. All periodontitis starts as gingivitis, but not all gingivitis becomes periodontitis.
Gingivitis is fully reversible with a professional cleaning and improved brushing and flossing. The four AAP stages of periodontitis (I through IV) involve bone loss that cannot be reversed, but all four can be controlled and stabilized with scaling and root planing followed by regular maintenance appointments. The goal moves from reversal to long-term stability and tooth preservation.
The 2018 American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) classification replaced the older mild/moderate/severe system with four numbered stages based on clinical attachment loss, bone levels on X-ray, and tooth mobility. Stage I and II are treated with non-surgical deep cleaning. Stage III and IV typically require surgical management. The staging system lets your dentist communicate severity precisely and plan treatment accordingly.
The direct cause is bacterial plaque accumulating at and below the gumline. Risk factors that accelerate gum disease include smoking (the single biggest modifiable risk factor), poorly controlled diabetes, certain medications that cause dry mouth or gum overgrowth, pregnancy, and genetics. Patients who smoke or have diabetes are significantly more likely to develop severe periodontitis and respond less predictably to treatment.
Patients with a history of periodontitis typically need periodontal maintenance appointments every three to four months rather than the standard six-month interval. The three to four month cycle is based on the rate at which harmful bacteria re-colonize cleaned pockets. Returning to a six-month schedule is considered appropriate only for patients who have maintained stable probing depths for several years.
