Components of Host Response to Pathogenic Bacteria in Gingivitis

A classification based on infection as the principal etiology of periodontal diseases divides categories based on gingival inflammation and periodontal attachment loss and recognized health, gingivitis and periodontitis as separate entities (Armitage 1999). Separation of gingivitis from periodontitis suggests that there are differences in these conditions that might include type or severity of infection, and/or adequacy of host response. Data shows that gingivitis in adults can remain stable throughout many years and not endanger the life of the dentition, whereas periodontitis, despite extensive, continues to break down the surrounding hard and soft tissue, leading ultimately to tooth loss (Seymour 1987). Bacterial biofilms have been shown to be the primary etiological factor in the initiation of gingival inflammation and subsequent destruction of periodontal tissues (Haffaje & Socransky 1994). Although chronic bacterial and endotoxin exposure is a prerequisite for gingival inflammation and periodontal tissue destruction to occur, its presence alone accounts for a relatively small proportion (i.e. 20%) of the variance in disease expression and is not enough to explain the (Grossi et al. 1994).