Periodontal gum disease (along with breath freshness) does not tend to get better if left untreated. The gums can recede away from the teeth causing the teeth to get loose and painful. The deeper the pockets get, the harder it is to keep them clean. Once a deep infection has established, it may be near impossible to keep clean and the tooth will need to be removed. If teeth are removed, their replacements could be implants or dentures. Implants may still suffer from gum disease in periodontal patients. A disease called peri-implantitis means that even implants can suffer the same gum degeneration. As periodontal gum disease is a chronic inflammatory disease, there are also health repercussions such as an increased risk of having a heart attack or stroke. These are very good reasons to have periodontal gum disease treated by a dentist or periodontist specialist.