Dental Caries and Periodontitis: Contrasting Two Infections That Have Medical Implications

Both dental decay and periodontal disease are diagnosable and treatable bacterial infections. They are distinctly different infections, with dental decay occurring on the supragingival surfaces of the teeth and periodontal infections occurring in the gingival tissue approximating the subgingival plaque. The bacteria involved and the pathophysiology of these infections are distinctly different.