The relationship between tooth decay and periodontitis is actually like this!

When it comes to tooth decay and periodontitis, many people are familiar with them. After all, these two diseases are indeed two common diseases in the dental department. As two diseases, tooth decay and periodontitis are definitely different, but in fact they also have some "similarities" and even connections. Today we will take a good inventory of what the differences are between tooth decay and periodontitis, and what are the "similarities" and connections.

The difference between tooth decay and periodontitis

First of all, the site of disease . Tooth decay attacks the teeth themselves, namely the enamel, dentin, cementum and even the pulp (after causing pulp disease, it is no longer called tooth decay, but is called chronic pulpitis, acute pulpitis, etc. depending on the actual situation); periodontitis attacks the supporting tissues around the teeth, such as the gums, alveolar bone, periodontal membrane, etc.

The second is the symptoms . The main symptom of tooth decay is the formation of cavities in the teeth. Early tooth decay does not form cavities and generally does not attract attention, so when people discover it, there are usually cavities; the symptoms of periodontitis are mainly bleeding gums, alveolar bone absorption, etc.

Similarities between tooth decay and periodontitis

Although tooth decay and periodontitis have obvious differences in the location of disease and symptoms, they also have "similarities".

First of all, the nature of the disease is that both are infectious diseases. The main difference is that the pathogens (pathogenic microorganisms) of the former are cariogenic bacteria, such as Streptococcus mutans, while the latter are periodontal pathogens, such as Fusobacterium nucleatum.

The second is the outcome . The outcome of tooth decay and periodontitis is likely to be the loss of teeth, which can be said to be the same. The reason for tooth loss due to tooth decay is that the teeth themselves are hopeless and cannot be saved; the reason for tooth loss due to periodontitis is that the teeth are "displaced" and therefore cannot be saved.

Then there are complications . Tooth decay can easily cause pulpitis, and periodontitis is actually the same. When pulpitis and periodontitis exist at the same time, it becomes a "combined periodontal and pulp disease". At this time, both the periodontal problem and the pulp problem must be solved.

The link between tooth decay and periodontitis

Tooth decay and periodontal disease are not only different, but also "similar" and related. The main manifestation is that tooth decay and periodontitis are often "contradictory", that is, people who are prone to tooth decay rarely have periodontitis, while people with periodontitis are generally not prone to tooth decay. This may be because there is an antagonistic relationship between caries-causing bacteria and periodontal pathogens. The former causes the oral environment to be acidic, while the latter causes the oral environment to be alkaline.