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Contagious periodontitis is a documented clinical reality: the bacteria responsible for periodontal disease —primarily from the genera Porphyromonas, Treponema, and Tannerella— are transmitted through contact with infected saliva, making kissing and close living arrangements real, though not exclusive, routes of transmission.
Most people do not know that periodontitis can be contagious. As a result, partners and families living with untreated periodontal patients are 20% to 30% more likely to develop the disease, without anyone having warned them of that risk. Treating periodontitis in time not only protects the patient but also those around them.
At Asensio Dental Clinic, Dr. Lucía Asensio Romero (Registration No. 46002287) leads a team specialized in periodontics. The first visit is completely free. This information is part of our oral medicine area in Valencia.
Is periodontitis contagious?
Yes. Periodontitis is a chronic bacterial infection and, like all bacterial infections, it can be transmitted from one person to another. Periodontopathogenic bacteria live in subgingival plaque —the kind that accumulates below the gum line— and are released into the saliva. Direct contact with that saliva —through kissing, sharing cutlery or glasses, or even cleaning a baby’s pacifier with one’s own mouth— is sufficient to transfer those bacteria to another person.
Recent studies have shown that people living with periodontal patients are 20% to 30% more likely to develop the disease. However, contagion does not mean the disease develops automatically: periodontitis is a multifactorial disease involving genetic predisposition, oral hygiene, smoking, diabetes, and chronic stress. Contagion provides the bacteria; the other factors determine if those bacteria end up causing damage.
How is contagion prevented?
The most effective measure is to treat the periodontitis in the person who has it. A patient with treated active periodontitis and on periodontal maintenance has a much lower pathogenic bacterial load than an untreated patient, drastically reducing the risk of transmission. Not sharing oral hygiene tools, not cleaning pacifiers with one’s own saliva, and maintaining correct oral hygiene are complementary measures that reduce the risk.
If you live with someone who has been diagnosed with periodontitis, it is recommended that you also undergo a periodontal check-up even if you have no symptoms. Periodontitis progresses silently for years before producing evident symptoms. For more information on diagnosis and treatment, visit our periodontics in Valencia page.
Frequently asked questions about contagious periodontitis
Can I kiss my partner if I have periodontitis?
The risk exists but should not lead to isolation. The solution is not to stop kissing but to treat periodontitis in time. With proper periodontal treatment and correct maintenance, the bacterial load is reduced to levels that minimize the risk of transmission. What is important is that your partner also undergoes a periodontal check-up.
Can children catch periodontitis?
Periodontopathogenic bacteria can be transmitted from adults to children, especially through the habit of cleaning the pacifier with one’s own saliva or sharing cutlery. However, destructive periodontitis is very rare in children. The main risk is that the child colonizes those bacteria and maintains them in their oral flora, increasing their susceptibility to developing periodontitis in adulthood.
