Gingivitis vs. periodontitis: what’s the difference?

One is reversible. The other requires ongoing management. Understanding where you are on that spectrum changes what treatment looks like, and how urgent it is.

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Most PPO plans cover gum disease treatment

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The key distinction

The difference that determines your treatment

Gingivitis

Reversible

Inflammation of the gum tissue caused by plaque along the gumline. Gums are red, swollen, and prone to bleeding. No bone or connective tissue has been damaged.

Treatment: A professional cleaning plus improved home care. Gums return to health.

Periodontitis

Controllable, not curable

What happens when gingivitis goes untreated. The immune response to bacteria begins destroying the bone and connective tissue that anchor the teeth. This damage is permanent.

Treatment: Scaling and root planing, a deeper cleaning below the gumline, plus ongoing maintenance. Most patients keep their teeth.

The distinction matters because the treatments are different. Gingivitis responds to a professional cleaning plus improved home care. Periodontitis requires scaling and root planing, a deeper procedure that removes bacteria from below the gumline.

How one leads to the other

The progression isn’t sudden. It happens gradually, and often without pain. Plaque that isn’t removed hardens into tartar, which forms below the gumline and can’t be brushed away. As bacteria accumulate, inflammation causes gum tissue to pull away from the tooth, creating pockets. Deeper pockets harbor more bacteria, which drives further bone and tissue loss, until the cycle is interrupted by treatment.

Plaque

Tartar

Inflammation

Pockets

Bone loss

Because the process is typically painless, many patients don’t recognize the signs of gum disease until it’s advanced. The “no pain, no problem” assumption doesn’t apply to gum disease, which is why regular exams matter.

What treatment looks like at each stage

Gingivitis

A professional cleaning removes the plaque and tartar causing inflammation. Combined with consistent brushing, flossing, and regular checkups, gums typically return to health within a few weeks.

Mild to moderate periodontitis

Scaling and root planing (SRP), a deep cleaning that removes bacteria from below the gumline and smooths root surfaces. Usually two appointments, with local anesthesia. Many patients then move to periodontal maintenance every 3–4 months.

Advanced periodontitis

SRP is still the first step. If bone loss is significant, referral to a periodontist may be recommended for further evaluation.

Want to know which stage you’re at? Book an evaluation.

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Can periodontitis be cured?

Periodontitis can’t be cured in the way an infection with a clear endpoint can be. The bone that’s been lost doesn’t fully grow back, and the bacteria that cause it are always present in the mouth. What changes is whether the disease is active and progressing, or controlled and stable.

Patients who receive treatment and commit to a maintenance schedule, typically a cleaning every 3 to 4 months rather than every 6, can maintain their gum health and keep the disease from advancing. Many live with diagnosed periodontitis for decades without losing teeth.

The goal of treatment is control: stopping the disease and keeping it from advancing.

Common questions

The timeline varies significantly. For some patients, untreated gingivitis progresses to periodontitis within months. For others, it takes years. Factors like genetics, smoking, diabetes, and dry mouth affect how quickly the disease advances. There’s no reliable way to predict it without regular monitoring, which is another reason regular exams matter.

Not reliably. Gingivitis is caused by bacteria in plaque and tartar below the gumline. Brushing and flossing can slow it, but only a professional cleaning can remove tartar. Without removing the source of inflammation, gingivitis tends to persist or worsen.

It is. Untreated periodontitis is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults. It’s also linked to systemic health conditions including cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The encouraging part: when treated and maintained properly, periodontitis can be controlled. Most patients with diagnosed periodontitis who stick to their maintenance schedule keep their teeth.

After scaling and root planing, most patients move to a periodontal maintenance schedule: professional cleanings every 3–4 months instead of every 6. These visits clean areas that are harder to maintain at home given the pocket depths involved. The frequency can sometimes be extended as gum health improves.

Know your gum health. Book an evaluation in Edmonds.

Our team measures pocket depths, reviews your X-rays, and tells you clearly where your gum health stands and what it takes to address it.

Book Your Evaluation (425) 776-8353

Monday–Thursday, 8 am–5 pm 7631 212th St SW #112-C, Edmonds, WA 98026