If there is a problem with the gums, it is often passed roughly. Many people regard gum disease as a disease of the elderly. However, half of American adults over the age of 30 suffer from gum disease. Korea also has gum disease in about 30 percent of adults. Gum disease is caused by the spread of bacteria in plaque between teeth and gums. At first, inflammation, or gingivitis, occurs in the gum..