Can you point the parts of your body? Sounds like a familiar lower grade question. Identification of body parts usually packages in it identification of visible parts and so tooth. At the same time one gets boggled if one is asked to identify periodontum. When it is so much close to ones teeth.
Have you heard of tissues and bones? Well if you have periodontum is just the collective name for all those tissue and bones that forms the supporting framework of teeth. Among these the gum is the visible part whereas outer layer of the roots of teeth (Cementum), the bone socket that holds the tooth(Alveolar bone) and the connective tissue fibers are all embedded in.
Like any body parts they are also exposed to infection and subsequent ailments. Infectious diseases are called periodontal disease and the common among them are periodontitis and gingivitis. Gingivitis is - an inflammation that is limited to the soft tissues surrounding the tooth while Periodontitis is the inflammation of the periodontal. Which means bones are also affected and so resulting in bone loss
Periodontitis is thought to occur in people who have preexisting gingivitis. It is believed so, since in some people, gingivitis progresses to periodontitis - the gum tissues separate from the tooth and form a periodontal pocket. Subgingival bacteria (Those that exist under the gum line) colonize the periodontal pockets and cause further inflammation in the gum tissues and progressive bone loss.
Further this leads to loosening of teeth and eventual loss of teeth if untreated. With the supporting framework lost the tooth is just a loose structure that can come out any time.
Like all other periodontal diseases periodontitis too is resultant from bacterial infection that grow on the microbial plaque developed on tooth. For this brushing and flossing is needed to do away with unattended plaque near gum line. Remember your tooth is not all; care beyond that to protect your tooth.
Tooth loss increases the risk of diminished cognitive function
A team of researchers systematically assessed the association between oral health and cognitive function in adult populations, and found that there is an association between tooth loss and reduced cognitive function. Ref. Source 6w.