Gum diseases, including gingivitis and periodontitis, are serious infections that, if left untreated, can lead to tooth loss. Periodontal disease is a chronic bacterial infection that affects the gums and bone supporting the teeth. This disease can affect one or many teeth. It starts when the bacteria in plaque causes the gums to be inflamed. In the mildest form of the disease, gingivitis, the gums get red and swollen. They also bleed very easily. The disease is almost never painful or even felt by the patient. Untreated gingivitis almost always advances to periodontitist. Over time the plaque can spread and grow below the gum line. The toxins in plaque irritate the gums. It than stimulates a chronic inflammatory response in which the body in essence turns on itself, and the tissues and bone that support the teeth are broken down and destroyed. The gum separates from the tooth and creates pockets which harvest more bacteria and become infected. Eventually teeth will become loose and may have to be removed.