Overview
Gingivitis is a reversible inflammatory condition of the gingiva caused by bacterial plaque biofilm accumulation at the gingivo-dental junction. It is the most common oral disease globally, with survey data showing clinical signs in the majority of adults examined in most countries regardless of socioeconomic status.
The 2017 World Workshop on the Classification of Periodontal and Peri-implant Diseases redefined gingivitis within a comprehensive classification framework, distinguishing plaque-induced gingivitis (most common) from non-plaque-induced gingival conditions (viral, bacterial, fungal, genetic, neoplastic, traumatic, or systemic causes).
Gingivitis is clinically significant not merely as a disease in itself, but as the obligatory precursor to periodontitis — the irreversible, bone-destroying progression. All periodontitis begins as gingivitis, though not all gingivitis progresses to periodontitis. Identifying and treating gingivitis is therefore primary prevention for the most common cause of adult tooth loss.