Periodontitis is an inflammatory condition of which tissue?

• A. Gum tissue surrounding the neck of each tooth.
• B. Pulp that contains nerve cells and blood vessels of the tooth.
• C. Dentin that surrounds the soft part of a tooth.
• D. Enamel that provides a hard surface for chewing.

Answer: (A)

Periodontitis targets the tissues that surround and support the teeth, especially the gums (the gingiva) that hug the neck of each tooth. When this gum tissue becomes inflamed, it signals the start of periodontal disease, which can progress to affect the deeper supporting structures like the periodontal ligament and bone. The other tissues listed—pulp inside the tooth, dentin beneath the enamel, and enamel itself—are tooth structures, not the surrounding tissues that periodontitis inflames. So the best match is the gum tissue surrounding the tooth neck.