Periodontosis is the false term still used for pathological inflammation of the tooth base.

The terms periodontosis, periodontopathy and periodontitis are all derived from the word "periodont". This refers to the tooth base, the anchoring system which holds the teeth in place in the bone (paro = around, dont = tooth). The tooth base consists of gums, bones, root membrane and root cement.

For a long time, it was impossible to isolate bacteria from gum pockets of patients with periodontitis, as the germs were cultivated in oxygen. These bacteria exist in gum pockets, as they thrive in environments with reduced oxygen.

The false conclusion was: no bacteria, so –osis! Molecular-biological methods were finally used to gain evidence of bacterial DNA, and bacteria were later cultivated under reduced-oxygen conditions . It is thus an -itis.

In medicine, the suffix –itis denotes an inflammation, and -osis designates a metabolism-related degenerative dysfunction. Arthrosis, for example, denotes degeneration of the joints. Displaced strain on a joint causes metabolic dysfunction in the gristle, resulting in loss of gristle matter. Arthritis, on the other hand, refers to inflammation of the joint, for example due to bacterial contamination of a wound after an accident.

These are not arbitrary designations, an inflammation needs a different kind of treatment than a degenerative disorder and the correct diagnosis is the first step towards finding the right therapy!