Gum inflammation is caused by bacteria built up in the dental plaque. Dental plaque is a combination of a soft and sticky and an almost invisible layer of saliva proteins and a high percentage of bacteria that settles on your teeth. This soft layer can turn into a hard layer, called calculus, that sticks to your teeth. On top of this hard deposit a second layer of dental plaque will be formed.
The above-mentioned inflammation can be found deep in the jawbone located around your teeth. This inflammation causes a pocket to be found between the gum and teeth. This second dental plaque will enable the inflammation to spread deeper, causing fibres that break and a receding jawbone.