Gum Disease may be a sign of systemic inflammation Unlike acute inflammation (your body's defense against illness or injury) chronic inflammation simultaneously heals and destroys tissue. It's what happens when the immune system doesn't know when to stop and often leads to such diseases as heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, Alzheimer's, and gum disease. Dentally speaking, chronic inflammation can manifest itself as periodontal disease. Initial warning signs include swollen, bleeding, [...]