This document discusses the historical development of classifications of periodontal diseases from the 18th century to present. It covers early classifications based on clinical features, the paradigm of inflammatory vs non-inflammatory forms in the 1920-1970s, and more recent classifications under the infection/host response paradigm from the 1970s onward. A key development was the 1999 international classification agreeing on separate categories for gingival diseases and replacing early terms with chronic periodontitis and aggressive periodontitis.